The third annual McLean Construction Charity Golf Tournament in 2015 was a huge success as more than 80 golfers signed up to play under perfect weather conditions at the Osoyoos Golf Club. Numerous businesses from Osoyoos and across the South Okanagan also signed on as tournament sponsors. The event raised about $10,000 for three children’s charities in the region. The tournament has raised more than $30,000 in its first three years. (Keith Lacey file photo)
A fundraising golf tournament that has helped raise big bucks for very worthy causes in Osoyoos and other parts of the South Okanagan is still accepting players and teams for this year’s event.
The McLean Construction Annual Charity Golf Tournament will take place on Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Osoyoos Golf Course.
This will be the fourth annual event.
The tournament has been a roaring success from day one as it has raised more than $30,000 for a variety of local organizations and groups, including the Osoyoos Child Care Centre, Osoyoos Elementary School Parent Advisory Council, Osoyoos Senior Secondary Bursary Fund, South Okanagan Minor Hockey Association, Penticton BMX Club, Dance Oasis Studio in Osoyoos and the South Okanagan Children’s Charity.
“We could not have asked for more in our first three years,” said Kirsten McLean, who along with her husband Len are the official tournament sponsors. “This year we hope to again raise money to enhance the lives of the youth and seniors in our community.”
The objective of the tournament is to have a wonderful day of golf and raise significant funds to support the ever growing demand for community-based development programs for both youth and seniors, said McLean.
This year, the money raised will be given to the Osoyoos Food Bank and Desert Valley Hospice Society Supportive Care Centre.
“As a family-based business, we feel it’s important to support the people in our community,” said McLean. “By donating to these initiatives, we hope to touch many lives in the community.”
The Osoyoos community has supported her family’s construction business for numerous years and she and her husband had wanted to give back and have found the perfect venue through this charity golf tournament, she said.
Len McLean and his former business partner Herb Wycherley and his family sponsored the first couple of events, but McLean took over when Wycherley retired from the construction business a couple of years ago.
While the goal is to raise as much as possible, the tournament continues to attract many of the same people over and over again because it’s such a fun event on and off the golf course, she said.
“People just have a really good time,” she said. “No one takes the golf too seriously.”
Once again, the charity golf tournament is looking for community support to make the fundraising efforts a success, she said.
“We are looking for hole sponsorship and silent auction items,” she said. “We also hope you will bring your chequebook to purchase something during the live and silent auction. We will send 100 per cent of the dollars raised from the auction to the two local charities.”
Sponsorship packages are a minimum of $200 and you can mail cheques to the McLean Construction head office at Box 801, Osoyoos, B.C. V0H 1V0. Cheques should be made payable to McLean Construction.
Items for the live and silent auction (suggested minimum value of $40) can be dropped off at the office located at 8503 78th Avenue or you can contact Kirsten McLean at 250-689-8004.
The cost to participate in the tournament is $110 and includes cart and taxes, lunch, dinner and a day full of fun.
The tournament has averaged 90 players in its first three years and McLean said she would like that number to get over 100 for this year’s tournament.
Teams of four can enter and any individual looking to help a worthy cause and have a fun day of golf can sign up and will be placed with other tournament participants, she said.
Tournament registration is 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 27 with a shotgun start set for 1 p.m.
McLean hopes to have all participants signed up by the end of this week, but hinted late entries will be accepted next week as well.
Anyone interested in signing up can contact McLean at the same number listed above at 250-689-8004.
KEITH LACEY
Osoyoos Times
