In the auction room at the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation's 16th annual Charity Classic golf tournament, the bids just kept going higher and higher.
The outpouring of generosity didn't stop until the tournament had raised more than $500,000 for the foundation 鈥� essential funds that will provide life-saving equipment to the local hospital.
It was a record-breaking amount 鈥� one VJH Foundation executive director Kate McBrearty could scarcely believe after last year's tournament also set a new record.
鈥淲e really never imagined we'd be here again,鈥� said McBrearty. 鈥淏ut here we are celebrating another record-breaking year at Charity Classic!鈥�
The tournament was held at Vernon's Predator Ridge Resort Sunday, Aug. 24, and featured a Vegas scramble-style round of golf with prizes and refreshments on every hole. The mercury was high, but spirits were even higher.
McBrearty attributes the back-to-back record-setting years to the incredible support of the community, including title sponsor Paul Docksteader Foundation, venue sponsor Predator Ridge, over 30 local business sponsors, and of course, the golfers who participate in the tournament and the evening program, which includes Fund-A-Need, where people donate to purchase equipment for Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
鈥淚t was just incredible to be in that room and be surrounded by such a feeling of positive energy, of 鈥榣et鈥檚 get this done.鈥� We鈥檙e just so deeply grateful to have a community who shares our passion and commitment to transforming healthcare in the North Okanagan,鈥� she said.
McBrearty also noted it takes an army of volunteers to make the event happen each year, from the committee that spends all year planning it, to the volunteers who set up the course early Sunday morning, to the people that spend the day on the course enhancing the experience for golfers, such as members of the UBC Okanagan golf team who offered to crush balls well over 300 yards over the water on the par-5 hole 14 of the Predator course, for a 'Hit by a Pro' donation that was well worth the chance to see how hard a varsity player can hit a golf ball, while setting teams up for a nice birdie opportunity.
This year, the Charity Classic helped purchase two Belmont Rapid Infusers. This life-saving equipment quickly stabilizes patients by delivering warmed fluids at high flow rates 鈥� up to 750 ml per minute 鈥� which means an average bag of blood is delivered in two to three minutes. The faster the patient can be stabilized, the better the outcomes.
In addition to the Rapid Infusers, this year鈥檚 tournament helped purchase urgently needed medical equipment 鈥� from external pacemakers to vital signs machines that are essential for patient monitoring.
鈥淭he sun was shining, people were smiling and laughing from the moment they arrived, and there was such a wonderful feeling of community,鈥� said McBrearty. 鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 have asked for a better day.鈥�
