Tillsonburg News Invitational has room for four golfers, auction items
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Pam Good is one up on her husband Steve – not the least perhaps in terms of Tillsonburg News Invitational Golf Tournament for Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital participation.
Although not on her husband’s original inaugural tournament foursome, Pam took full advantage of a cancellation 15 minutes prior to tee time.
“I phoned her, said ‘do you want to play? She said sure,’ and she hasn’t missed one since,” Steve Good recalled recently inside The Bridges clubhouse.
The accounting from there is rather simple: Pam has played in all 20 ‘Invitationals’ and will again be teeing it high and letting it fly in the 21st, Friday, September 6 at The Bridges Golf Club. “It’s always Pam and I are in,” Steve continued, “and who else wants to play?”
For the record, he plans on contesting his 20th of 21 events on this year’s Good Redden Klosler foursome. Good missed only the 2006 version due to a non-golfing ‘handicap’ having little to do with a tendency for the odd slice or getting the yips on a putt, and everything to do with an unscheduled encounter between his right leg and a stump grinder.
And in that first, horrific moment, Good understood on a very personal level just how important quality healthcare and access to emergency services is right in Tillsonburg, rather somewhere along Highway #19, #3 or the 401.
“They never slowed down,” Good recalled of his hasty arrival at Tillsonburg District Memorial Hospital’s Emergency Room. “They took one look and said ‘keep on going.
“They had me on the table in 30 seconds from the time I came through the front door.”
From initial immediate treatment courtesy of Doctors Lisa Dalby and Jacqueline Crosby, Good would spend 10 days recuperating inside TDMH, which if not exactly fun, were certainly physically restorative.
“Couldn’t have been better service,” credited Good, who realizes his circumstances may be unique, but he’s far from alone. “Everybody has a hospital story.”
Coward Pharmacy has also been in for the tournament’s full 21-year history, and Tom Graham, father of Canadian long drive champion Scott, will be ‘representing’ by bombing it long off the tee for his (unofficially) 19th year.
“That’s where he (Scott) gets it from,” laughed the elder Graham.
“Tom hits it a long way, he just doesn’t know where it’s going,” Good interjected.
“It’s getting better,” Graham rejoined, “it’s getting better.”
Pre-tournament golfing trash talk aside, Graham – a former hospital board chair with 10 of service - is serious about supporting health care close to home in Tillsonburg.
“The hospital is an important part of our community,” he said. “It’s a good thing to be directing our resources toward.”
The community has certainly responded, to date contributing over $630,000 over the Tillsonburg News Invitational’s 20-year history.
“We’d like to thank the committee for its assistance, and most of all, the community for its generosity,” said TDMH Foundation Chair Dave Corner.
Funds raised this year will be targetted toward the purchase of three defibrillator monitors, state-of-the-art electronic devices running around $10,000 apiece.
“If we need to bring you back, it’s not just that initial zap,” Corner explained. “We need to monitor your vital signs.”
Registration for this year’s tournament opens at 11 a.m. followed by lunch and a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start. Supper is anticipated around 6 p.m. As of last week, Corner said 126 of the available 130 golfing slots are filled for the 21st annual event.
“We’ve got room for just a few more,” he smiled.
Cost for the final foursome at the fundraising event is $1,200, with alternatively, two twosomes currently available at half that price each. Tax receipts are provided for a portion of those totals.
Alternatively, if there are those in the community who would like to contribute to the event, the silent auction is a welcome option, says Corner.
“We are always open to silent auction items.”
Those seeking to contribute are invited to call Corner at 519-842-3611 ext. 5311 or email david.corner@tdmh.on.ca for further information.