Golfers were out in full force on Sept. 14 for the seventh annual Friends Fore Healthcare Charity Scramble.
This year funds raised will be divided between the Humboldt and District Hospital Foundation and the Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation.
In total, 83 golfers from Humboldt and Saskatoon got together to support two worthwhile organizations.
Hospital Foundation Executive Director, Lorrie Bunko, says they had a great turnout with a lot of support from local organizations and volunteers as well as the golfers.
President and CEO of the Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation Brynn Boback-Lane says the Saskatoon based Children’s Hospital is 66 per cent complete and they hope to have it ready by 2019.
Saskatchewan people continue to amaze Boback-Lane, she says, in their generosity and partnerships.
The Hospital Foundation’s foresight to be making partnerships with community organizations is light-years ahead of other fundraising models, says Boback-Lane.
“The partnerships that we are able to work together on builds the provincial community and brings us closer together.”
Pulling together organizations to benefit from events like the Scramble benefits the whole province, says Boback-Lane, and that is heartening to see.
“Working with others allows benefits for even more than within their home community. What they’ve done is expanded their home and made it more provincial in nature.”
Many Saskatchewan parents, including Boback-Lane, have had to leave the province in order to receive care for their children. With the new Children’s Hospital set to open in the next couple of years, Boback-Lane says that parents will be able to have their children treated closer to their support networks.
Being away from family, friends, and other children can play a large role in the anxiety parents and children go through. Environment plays a big role in care and community support can go a long way, says Boback-Lane.
“This is for every child, parent, mother-to-be, and every community in this province because it will serve the province.”
The new Children’s Hospital also means more services and specialists coming into the province, says Boback-Lane, especially with more young people and families coming into the province.
Being healthy is the most important thing, says Boback-Lane, so they are very grateful to receive the support of Humboldt and area.
The Scramble also included large donations from two Humboldt businesses.
Members from Humboldt Information Services Centre were present to present Bunko and Boback-Lane with a $2,000 from their local community investment donation.
This annual donation is provided to every ISC office in Saskatchewan but the Humboldt office staff get to decide which local charity it goes to. The two foundations were important causes, says Laurie Graf.
“Everybody at one point in time is going to benefit from the use of the Children’s Hospital, even though you hope not.”
South 20 Dodge Chrysler and RV Centre Ltd. also took advantage of the opportunity and presented the Hospital Foundation with $5,000 during the Friends Fore Healthcare event, surprising Bunko and everyone else in the process.
It was a no-brainer for South 20, says General Manager Cliff Goulet, being able to give back to both the Children’s Hospital and Foundation is very important in supporting the community.
“We’re only one small piece of the puzzle. The community and the greater Humboldt area is an integral part to making everything work and making our Hospital as best they can.”
