Sign up for the battlefordsNOW newsletter

Organizers hope to continue success with third memorial golf tournament

Jun 13, 2018 | 2:00 PM

The golfers taking part in the third Brian Maunula Memorial Junior Golf Tournament will notice some big changes this year.

The annual tournament for youths four to 14 years old has raised over $42,000 in its first two years. Organizer Jaime Maunula said with this year’s tweaks to the event the expectations are huge.

“We’ve been overwhelmed by the support that we have had from the area in the past two years,” Maunula said. “We want to keep the momentum going so we felt we needed to make just a few changes this year which I’m sure everyone will appreciate.”

The first change is the addition of a female golfer category. Maunula said there will now be prizes for the top male and female golfers in all three divisions.

“We really wanted to encourage more girls to come out and golf this year,” she said. “We have a huge percentage of our golfers who are males, so we thought that by creating a female division it may attract more girls to take part.”

Golfers will have to raise at least one hundred dollars in order to participate, Maunula said, another change for this year.

“The Brian Maunula Memorial is a fundraiser after all, and it’s all about kids raising money for other kids,” Maunula said. “Last year we raised over $25,000 for the Jim Pattison’s Children’s Hospital and this year we know we can reach the $30,000 plateau.”

Maunula said she felt the fundraising requirement was not an unreasonable stipulation.

“As a parent, I feel that it is a great life lesson to have your child raise money to help other children,” said Maunula.

The golf tournament was created by eight-year-old Shae Maunula to honour his late grandfather Brian, who was a great community volunteer.

The annual Brian Maunula Memorial Junior Golf Tournament will take place Sunday, Sept. 23 at the Rustic Nine Golf Course. The deadline to register is Sept. 5 and Jaime encouraged those interested in playing to get their entries in as soon as possible.

“Last year we had a waiting list and early indication is that with the addition of the female division, we will reach our limit of 60 golfers very quickly,” she said. “It is a great problem to have. We just want to make sure everyone gets a chance to take part.”

Registration forms can be picked up at CJNB on 100 St., Rustic Nine Golf Course or by visiting their Facebook page.

 

Editor’s Note: battlefordsNOW is part of the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group, which is owned by hospital namesake and benefactor Jim Pattison.

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsNOW