It mattered little if participants were hackers or a slicers — or if they lost a bag of wayward golf balls in bushes or ponds along the links.
If they took part in the 14th annual AOK Charity Golf Classic on Sept. 12, they did their part to help people in need in the community.
Coordinated by Randy Melnychenko, the annual fundraising golf tournament was held for the first year at Morgan Creek Golf Course in Surrey, and benefited the Langley-based Acts of Kindness (AOK) Society.
This year’s tournament raised more than $45,000 with 100 per cent of the proceeds going to AOK, which runs a variety of community initiatives in Langley and Aldergrove.
“We took it to the next level, which is what we wanted to do,” said Church in the Valley associate pastor Mike Dauncey, who has been involved with AOK for many years.
AOK is dedicated to helping people in need, and its programs include cars for moms (where dependable vehicles are given away to a single mom), single moms oil change events that are held twice a year, summer camp for kids, a daily breakfast club for elementary school students, and the AOK’s Extreme Home Repair (EHR) project.
Established in 2004, the EHR project annually transforms the home of a local individual or family facing difficult circumstances related to their housing and resources.
The project brings together over 200 volunteers, dozens of community-minded businesses, friends, family, and neighbours, to give the selected recipients a fresh start in a safe and comfortable environment.
A total of 88 golfers participated in this year’s tournament, which is up from the usual total of 65.
“We started a little bit early this year,” Dauncey said. “We got out there and started doing our asks early and really tried to ramp it up.”
Dauncey said the support was greatly appreciated. “It was great to have new people come on board. It just kind of breathed new life into our tournament which is what we were going for.”
The fundraising total is up from recent years, but isn’t a record.
“We’ve raised $80,000 in the past,” Dauncey said. “It was high back in the day, then it went through a lower time, and the last few years have been about $30,000. So this year, to jump to $45,000 was awesome.”
Dauncey stressed that every cent raised from the tournament goes directly back into the community.
“It does not go to pay anyone’s salary,” he said. “When they donate to non-profits, people don’t want to see (their donations) tied up in administrative costs. They want it to go to the actual event, and that’s what we do.”
Fun Run
The annual AOK Fun Run is open to everyone and starts and finishes at Church in the Valley on Sunday, Oct. 15.
The five-kilometre run gets underway at Church in the Valley (23600 block of Fraser Highway) at 3:30 p.m.
“We encourage people to come in a costume, to dress up. It’s a fun event,” Dauncey said. “Registration is simply showing up with some cash. It’s by donation and again, it goes to Acts of Kindness.”
Participants run down Old Yale Road and back.
Last year’s run drew roughly 60 people.
Prizes will be given away including for best costumes. There is no pressure to run the entire route. Walkers are more than welcome, Dauncey said.
troy.landreville@blackpress.ca
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