AREA GOLFERS FIND THE GREEN TO HELP FIGHT GLOBAL POVERTY
Edmonton golfers raised more than $400,000 for the world’s poor at the Canadian Aga Khan Foundation’s 20th anniversary of its World Partnership in Golf (WPG) tournament last week.
“Funds raised at the Glenrose Golf and Country Club will go directly to programs that transform lives of the poor in Africa and Asia,” said Hussein Bhanji, chairman of Edmonton’s WPG team.
“The United Nations says daily life sustainability in many countries is less than $2 a day. That’s just the price of a morning cup of coffee here.”
The seven Canadian Aga Khan Foundation WPG teams across the country have raised more than $14 million since 2000, Bhanji said. And Edmonton, the top fundraiser for the last five years, is expected to lead the way again this year.
“Our foundation’s goal is to help build strong, resilient communities and local institutions by improving access to quality education and health,” he said.
“We support environmental sustainability, seek to increase food security and create economic opportunities for both women and men to give everyone the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
Calgary’s Asifa Nurani, a public health consultant who worked in eastern Africa for 17 years, said pregnancy there kills one of every 55 women.
“Giving life can be a death sentence,” she said. “In a developing world, where surgeons don’t have gloves and clinics don’t always have reliable electricity or running water, the word ‘innovation’ takes on a different meaning.”
The Aga Khan network now provides training to all levels of health-care providers and has set gold standards in quality care.
“Since 2012, Canadian support has helped renovate and equip more than 120 government health facilities in Kenya and Tanzania, equipping them with delivery beds, fixing dilapidated roofs, providing resuscitation equipment that can be used with or without electricity and providing adequate water, power and sanitation,” said Nurani.
A mystery gold key raffle after the game raised $40,000.
ZIN SUCCESS
It could have been the song by Cory Arcand and his Alexander First Nation drum band honouring sponsors that caused guests to dig deep at my Zin on the River function at the Fairmont Hotel Macdonald last week.
Or it might have been Vik Mahajan, vice-president and general manager of the River Cree Resort and Casino, whose generosity showed the way.
Singer-songwriter Terrell Edwards also came out of the crowd to sing impromptu with Dave Babcock’s quintet and brought warmth.
Whatever the reason, we netted some $31,000. And with the $32,000 from Pinot on the Patio in June, my friends and I have funded the sculpture Haida Gwaii artist Ben Davison has nearly completed and will be placed in the CASA Centre entrance this fall.
Arcand, principal of the Alexander Kipohtokaw Education Centre, led a welcome and an “honour” song.
The spellbinding drumbeats from his band must surely have been heard in Devon.
Two Alexander students visited Haida Gwaii when Davidson sought Alberta input for his carving.
Mahajan got the auction off to a good start by buying a dinner at Normand’s restaurant for $1,000, and then offering a dinner for 10 and a high-end show at River Cree for 10 people.
“Make that a hotel room for each couple as well,” he added.
We sold three packages for a total of $6,800.
Caroline and Steve Thompson bought the item I coveted most: a family trip to Jasper in a Volvo XC90; a two-night stay in a Best Western Jasper Inn suite; Marmot Basin ski tickets and a 20-inch canvas mountain portrait by photographer Fred Katz.
BIKE RIDE ANYONE?
Join members of the Edmonton Police Service, first responders and the military on Sept. 7 in the fourth annual Courage Ride for Rehab, a 58.5-kilometre, kid-friendly bike ride around Pigeon Lake in support of the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation.
“It’s not a race, but a community fun ride,” said Dallas Smith, who chairs the event with Dick Cotter, former MP Laurie Hawn and former patient David Raborn, who was in a coma for six months following a bike accident. “Ride as much or as little of the route as you wish. With nearly 80,000 patient visits every year, our hospital helps patients living with illness, injury or chronic conditions gain or regain their independence ... We will have raised $150,000 in four years to fuel research and education and acquire advanced equipment and technology.”
Info is at www.courageride. org/ride.
LET’S TALK THE WALK
I haven’t walked much since I broke my right femur some 18 months ago and they pinned it up with gamma nails. But there’s a five-km and a 10-km route in the Walk for Valour supporting Valour Place 10, on Sept 8.
Join me in the five-km walk. I always support the home-awayfrom-home for military personnel, their families, Families of the Fallen, veterans, RCMP and first responders in Edmonton for medical treatment.
Mine will be a slow walk. Bring a story to share. I’ll tell you how I came to interview The Beatles after the headmaster of my London grammar school “invited” me to leave. Walk info is at walkforvalour@valourplace.ca.