Community helps Foundation ace tournament
Dozens of carts lined up before the shotgun start of the 11th Kateri Memorial Foundation golf tournament at Kanawaki on Monday. Olivier Cadotte The Eastern Door
The 11th edition of the Kateri Memorial Foundation (KMF)’s golf tournament on Monday was another big win for Kateri Memorial Hospital Center (KMHC), raising almost $185,000.
“It’s wonderful to see the support. The support of the community and the surrounding communities is just astronomical,” said KMF board member Lisa Skye.
The community supporting the Foundation at the tournament is just one example of Kahnawake coming together to help each other, she said.
“The beneficiaries are our residents at the hospital. Ultimately, the money stays in Kahnawake, benefiting our community hospital, our elders, and all our patients at the hospital. What better way to serve the community than to help our elders?” said Skye.
KMHC executive director Valerie Diabo offered some specifics on how the foundation helps the hospital directly serve the community.
“It helps us with shortcomings. It helps us purchase equipment that’s needed. Like two years ago, they fundraised for an ultrasound machine,” said Diabo.
“This year we’re to use the money again in any shortcomings that we have, but we’re also going to be exploring some opportunities, maybe increasing our staff wellness room and doing some art within our hospital.”
Along with the registration fees, donations, the start of the Golden Ticket sales, and the many sponsors who helped make the tournament possible, the KMF also had two additional sources of fundraising through Playground’s Million Dollar Hole-in-One challenge as well as Dickson Golf arranging bets on which team would win the tournament.
“We were happy to be able to participate with Playground Cares, not only to sponsor the million-dollar shot, but do a few other things for the foundation,” said Playground co-licensee Mackenzie Kirby.
Kirby, along with his teammates Jay Kastner, Patrick Provencher, and Kawisaienton McComber, were the winning team, with a -14 on the day.
Kirby said that the team signed up to be in a “competitive division,” which meant paying an additional entree fee, of which a portion went into the prize pool for the winner.
After discussion within the team, the prize money they won was immediately donated back to the KMF.
“We don’t plan to try and win any money. Obviously, it’s nice to win and get your name on the trophy, but we’re really there just to support the foundation and the other organizations that are benefiting from the event.
“So, to give it back, I think this makes sense to help their ability to continue doing all the great things that they do over at the hospital,” said Kirby.
“We’ve been playing in it since the beginning, so we’ve been trying, basically since then, to win this. Obviously, it’s one of the more prestigious golf tournaments we have in town. It’s for a great cause. So, it’s cool to be able to finally win it.”
Golfers and organizers both agreed that it was an ideal day to play golf, especially given the lacklustre weekend weather.
“The weather was beautiful, it was the perfect day for golf. Obviously, the event was always full and well attended. So, it was nice to hang out with everybody and play golf, and see different people,” said Kirby.
“You see people coming in, they’re excited to play. You see the smiles, and they know they’re making a difference within the community,” said Diabo.
After a day on the links, there were raffles from different organizations, as well as an auction MCed by Paul Graif and called by Jill Skye.
Wes Deer was the winner of a Kanawaki-branded golf bag and a $500 gift card to Golf Town from the Purple Ribbon Walk raffle.
“It’s always a pleasure to play in a charitable golf tournament the benefits our community hospital. Also, it was an honour to win the Purple Ribbon Walk raffle,” said Deer.
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Purple Ribbon Walk also raffled a whole swimming pool, which was won by Nathan Charles.
The KMF and KMHC both consider the tournament a huge success once again.
“I would just like to thank the foundation for doing this event every year. It really is really helpful for the KMHC and the community,” said Diabo.
“We can’t do this without the generosity of all our sponsorships. It just comes together for these projects, for these great events, it’s just amazing. We thank the community, too. I just want to thank them so much from the bottom of our hearts,” said Skye.
