‘Biggest fundraiser’: Fort St. John’s Special Olympics hosts 24th annual golf tournament

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — Fort St. John Special Olympics supporters teed off for the 24th year to help programming in the area this weekend.

Special Olympics BC’s Fort St. John branch held its annual golf tournament at Fort St. John Links Golf Club on June 21st.

It featured four-man best ball, prizes, a silent auction, dinner and more.

All the proceeds for the tournament will go toward programming for the Special Olympics, according to Kathy Turney, a former local coordinator and current assistant coach with the organization.

She said it was the “biggest” local fundraiser for the cause.

“If we can raise enough money in our golf tournament every year, we can run our programs with little to no cost to our athletes,” said Turney.

Turney says programming for Special Olympics in the city currently consists of bowling, swimming, an exercise program known as club fit, golf and curling.

The organization recently got a $2,000 donation from Tim Hortons, which was the primary sponsor of the golf tournament.  The dinner portion of the event was sponsored by Epscan Industries, Titleist Energy Services, Clean Arrow Energy Services and Arc Resources.

Other sponsors include Arctic Spas for the hole-in-one contest and AMA Energy Rentals for both the putting contest and the men’s and ladies’ closest-to-the-pin competition.

Rogue Enterprises sponsored the men’s and ladies’ longest drives, and additional sponsorship came from Evolution, Energetic Services, GFL Environmental, Grimes Well Servicing, and Bighorn Spring and Brake.

Those who competed include Levi Fowler, who will be travelling to Prince George in July to compete with region eight for a spot on Team B.C. for next year’s Special Olympics Canada summer games in Medicine Hat, Alberta.

For more information about Fort St. John Special Olympics, see the group’s Facebook page.