Golfers play for charity
Golfers from all over the North Island teed off at Foxton Golf Club last week for charity, raising more than $12,000 for St John Horowhenua and the Arohanui Hospice Horowhenua Centre.
For the Ambrose Tournament 150 players played 18 holes with a number of fun activities at some, including a blood pressure test, sitting on a toilet seat to take the shot and food tasting from three barbecues on the course.
Prizes up for auction included All Black jerseys, tickets to the Lions test match in Wellington, coffee machines, hover boards, tickets to the Warriors, wine and beer.
Every player went home with a prize. Foxton New World owner-operator Jason Davy, who came up with the idea, said they wanted to build on their sponsorship of sports and do something locally.
“Something a bit bigger for a couple of good charities that would get local businesses on board, not just the supermarket.”
Davy said without the support of John Arbuckle senior commercial manager at ASB, the event would have been a lot harder to organise.
“I talked with him about doing a charity event. He likes golf just like I do, so it was a natural fit. ASB is a national supporter of St John so it worked for them.”
Davey said the idea to support Arohanui Hospice Horowhenua Centre came from Charlie Pedersen, a hospice board trustee.
“Leveraging their suppliers”, Davey said they had 36 sponsors from local and national businesses and companies, who used it as a good opportunity to take part in the golfing.
“The Foxton Golf Club members were outstanding, and the fact that our staff and the whole community got behind it.
“We had good feedback saying it was a great day and way to meet new people,” said Davey.
The event had exceeded his expectations, and Davey said he would love to hold it annually to help support other local charities.
Les Frost, Horowhenua Area St John, helped co-ordinate the event, and said the support from businesses was “inspiring, quite mind blowing”.
“We’re over the moon with the amount raised. The $6000 will go towards upgrading the Foxton facilities.” Gail Savage, Arohanui Hospice manager corporate support services, said the money will help refurbish its new centre on the corner of Oxford and Stuckey St.
“We’re in the process of upgrading now, making the building fit for purpose.”
She said people in the district had always been generous but recent fundraising events for the new centre had been overwhelming.
“People’s generosity just amazes me. The whole community is just amazing.”
She said all money raised from its Levin charity shop stays in the district, but now people could actually see something for themselves.
“[A centre] was always needed but we never had the money before.”