Looking Back: Health Foundation Bed Pan Open

The 26th Health Foundation annual golf tournament was held last Thursday in picture perfect weather. The always sold out event featured  36 teams and this year for the first time there were six NHL alumni players and a retired NFL football player that were part of the event. On the Wednesday evening prior, participants in the tournament bid by live auction for the right to have one of them on their team.  Players Dana Murzyn, Joel Otto, Wayne McBean, Lindsay Carson, Dean Kennedy, Darcy Wakaluk, and Mark Rypien were all in fine form for this fun-filled evening.  When all was said and done the auction added a whopping $9800 to the foundation’s drive towards raising $50,000 this year.  The overall final number is not in yet but it is looking good for their goals this year. Amongst all that they support they have set their sights on much needed hospital equipment including ceiling lifts for Continuing Care and tub chairs. 

As always these tournaments have a whole raft of prizes for things like highest score team, longest drive, closest to the pin,hole’s in one and so on.  This year also featured a novel event called Aim for Alcohol. Players could stop at the putting green and for a fee try and putt golf balls to hit strategically placed bottles. If you hit one you got to keep it.    

The overall winning team featured Kent Strandquist, Gord Brecht, Darren Coloumbe, and Arther Desroches. The wrap up at the end of the day featured a prime rib dinner with raffle draws and silent auction items being announced.  Some of numbers that have been tallied so far are, 50/50 Draw-$845, Aim for Alcohol - $1225, Mulligans - $640, Hole # 3 - $910, raffle/wine table - $1900 and the silent auction - $3225.  One silent auction item was a beautiful and extremely rare Franz Koci painting donated by his daughter.  

The volunteerism that it takes to pull this event off is just amazing and demonstrates the foundation’s commitment and determination to enhance “the best of health for everyone.”