Fifteen years ago, Jean Perry had a dream to have an all-lady charity golf tournament in Penticton, so on July 10, 1996 she gathered a group of lady golfers together to establish the Peach City Tees Up For Cancer All Ladies Charity Golf Tournament to be played at the Penticton Golf and Country Club.
Our goal was to assist in the prevention and treatment of cancer for South Okanagan residents. Every cent of the money we raise stays here and benefits our whole community.
Although that first year was iffy, we persevered and the tournament became very successful — growing from 92 ladies to a high of 144 lades and a waiting list. To date, in the 14 years we have donated $332,000 to the Oncology Department at the Penticton Regional Hospital. One of our favourite projects was to help purchase the new mammography machine which has our plaque on it, also the history of how the tournament came about and to help furnish the mammography room.
We are now in the third year of our pledge to raise $100,000 in four years to help purchase the new cat scan machine. We understand that we were one of the first groups to make a pledge. The first two years were successful and we raised $54,000 towards our pledge.
This year is our 15th anniversary and we want it to be special. Our theme is the colour yellow for friendships and memories. A total of 136 ladies will be playing a practice round on Aug. 5 and the tournament will be on Aug. 6. Both days will be a 1 p.m. shotgun start. The practice round will be followed by a drink and build-your-own bunwhich. It will be a time to renew old friendships and to laugh and reminisce. There will be a silent auction.
The tournament on Saturday is an 18-hole scramble team event. There is a chipping contest and marshmallow drive in the morning and a barbecue beef burger for lunch. A.J. Eathorne, LPGA member, will be driving on the 14th hole for each team for a donation.
Following the scramble, we will have a banquet, our famous peach daiquiris and prizes.
We owe the success of this tournament to our many hole sponsors, contributors, donations and to the publicity which your paper has given us. It is with some pride that we can tell you that our Tee Up For Cancer logo is on the plaques in the mammography room, the plaque for the cat scan in the hall and on the MRI travelling van.
Cathie Heisler
Penticton