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AACS Golf Tournament a success despite low tournout

Numbers were down from last year, but Susan Samson is still pleased with the results
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The Summer Village of Jarvis Bay presented Susan Samson and the AACS a cheque for $10,000 during the golf tournament at the Meadowlands Golf Course on Aug. 11. Photos by Terry Juuti

This year’s golf tournament for Advanced Ambulatory Care Services (AACS) was a success despite down numbers from last year.

According to Susan Samson, chair person for the AACS committee, the tournament had less golfers participating this year.

A total of 107 players came out for the tournament and made up 27 teams of four, with one team playing with three.

The numbers did increase for supper at the Meadowlands Golf Course, with 140 sitting for supper.

“We aren’t disappointed with out numbers. They are down from last year but they still show what we are doing is important,” said Samson.

The exact amount of money raised through the tournament is not yet known, though Samson says it is around the $25,000 mark.

It was the goal of the committee to raise a total of $50,000 over the course of the year. With the tournament raising half of the total, Samson is confident the goal will be met by the time the AACS writes a check to Alberta Health at the end of the year.

“We feel like what we’ve done and raised with the tournament is still a significant amount, and we are very pleased with that,” Samson said.

The players present seemed to enjoy themselves on the beautiful day as they played through 18-holes of golf with a fun theme.

The golf sub-committee of the AACS decided to do another year with the theme M*A*S*H, based on the popular T.V. show of the same name which ran from 1972-1983.

The course had some decorations in place to carry the theme, including a couple jeeps for the military feel.

Golfers were encouraged to dress up as well, which a few did. Some wore army green, came print, the universal symbol for health care - the red cross, or Hawaiian shirts to emulate the show’s main character Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce.

“We chose the theme because it has dual meaning. Everyone had fun with it last year, and it is a medical show so it lent well to our cause,” explained Samson.

There were prizes given out for numerous reasons. One team won for being the most honest, there was an award for longest drive and top teams in the men’s, women’s and mixed divisions along with others.

There was also six hole-in-one prizes available to players who were able to make a sure shot to the hole.

Unfortunately none of those prizes were claimed during the tournament.

“There was always something going on, which I think made the day more fun then just a round of golf,” said Samson.

There were a few player who mentioned they are already looking forward to next year’s tournament.

However, the question remains whether or not the committee will continue with the tournament after this year.

The tournament and fundraisers put on by the AACS were for one goal, to see the opening of an ambulatory care centre if accommodate the region. The centre will be opening in May 2018.

“We will be looking at what we do from here and what we want to come out of anything more we would do,” said Samson.

As the committee is entirely run by volunteers a continuation of the tournament would rest upon whether or not they want to continue.

The sub-committee will be meeting at the end of August to discuss this year’s tournament and the possible continuation of it.

The committee of the whole will meet at the end of the year to further discuss what will come next.

“I think we have a good thing going here. We have been doing it for three years now and now how it works,” said Samson. “I think it would be beneficial to continue [with the tournament].”

The AACS still have two more large fundraisers over the fall where they are the charity of choice for donations.

The Tim Horton’s Smile Cookie Campaign begins in September and the Sylvan Lake Yuletide Festival in the beginning of December.

With the upcoming fundraisers coupled with the money raised from the tournament and a large donation of $10,000 from the Summer Village of Jarvis Bay, Samson believes the committee’s goal will be met by the end of the year.

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