A realtor鈥檚 golf tourney in the rain still managed to net $42,000 for sick and dying children.
The annual HomeLife Charity Golf Classic last week pushed the group close to the $600,000 mark in the amount raised during the event鈥檚 16 year history, said 91原创 realtor Michael Dreyer, of HomeLife Benchmark Realty.
The money from this year鈥檚 event once again went to Canuck Place, a children鈥檚 hospice in Abbotsford.
Because of those who participate in and sponsor the sold-out golf tournament, 鈥渢he most medically complex and ill children, as well as the families who love them, have the best care,鈥� he said.
For Dreyer, who鈥檚 been involved ception, that鈥檚 what creating this event was all about.
鈥淚t breaks my heart to see these kids,鈥� Dreyer said. 鈥淚鈥檝e always been a believer in giving back and that鈥檚 the flavour of the offices,鈥�
The tournament, featuring 18-holes of golf and a barbecue, was once again held at Northview Golf and Country Club. It started years ago at The Redwoods Golf Course, later moved to Hazelmere, and for the past several years has been held at Northview, he explained.
The event once again sold out, with 144 golfers participating from 15 different HomeLife offices in the Lower Mainland.
Half of those who hit the greens are realtors, while the others are family and supporters of the cause, 鈥渁nd what a worthy cause it is,鈥� Dreyer said.
Speaking for himself, at this time in his life, if he can鈥檛 spare 鈥渁 little extra time to give back, there鈥檚 something wrong,鈥� Dreyer said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not all about yourselves.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 for a good cause,鈥� he added, explaining that money from the first eight years of the golf tournament was donated to Variety The Children鈥檚 Charity, and the past eight years it has been earmarked for Canuck Place for its inpatient and outpatient care.
鈥淭hese children and their families need Canuck Place to support them in living the end of life, as fully as the beginning,鈥� he said, glad to once again contribute such a 鈥渟ignificant鈥� chunk of money collected not only from the golf registration, but the silent and live auctions, and a number of other smaller fundraisers throughout the day.
Hope and Ben Cholette, a Canuck Place family, shared their Canuck story with the group, 鈥渁nd we truly appreciate them taking the time to do so,鈥� said Homelife鈥檚 Heather Schoutens.
鈥淲e also have a great group of Canuck [hockey player] alumni come out for the day, and Thomas Gradin [a former hockey player turned scout] lightened the mood for our cold and wet golfers when he got up to address everyone before dinner.,鈥� she added.
