by Stuart Fullarton
Black Press
Clear skies and prime course conditions made for an ideal day of golfing Thursday, all in support of a good cause.
The fourth annual Rimbey FCSS (Family and Community Support Services) Charity Golf Tournament saw 96 golfers take to Spruce Haven Golf Resort for the event, which raised money for the wide variety of programs and services offered by Rimbey FCSS.
Although the total amount raised was still being tallied at press time, registration numbers pointed toward another successful year for the organization.
“Ideally, 72 is a nice, neat number, and in our first few years, we were doing that,” said Rimbey FCSS executive director Peggy Makofka. “(This year) we made a decision that we would order 10 more golf carts and open it up.”
Registration quickly followed, resulting in a sold-out tournament. That, in turn, would typically mean more money raised, and as an organization that offers such a diverse range of preventive social services, FCSS is grateful for the additional financial support.
Even with funding from the province, it’s still “not enough money to do all the things that Rimbey wants to do,” according to Makofka.
“The board at its annual retreat and strategic planning meeting identified that we’ve got to do more for seniors,” she said. “We’re getting more and more seniors, and we’ve got to (build) up our programs a bit, but we don’t have the money. So we decided this year we’ll do the golf tournament again and try to raise a little bit more money to add into some of these programs.”
Parenting groups, the food bank and playgroups for children are just some of programs offered by Rimbey FCSS, which employs 40 staff and has 120 active volunteers.
Ensuring both staff and volunteers are equipped with the resources necessary to do their jobs is vital, said Makofka.
Money raised, she added, would help purchase some of the “little things that just aren’t funded, but (are needed) to make it a better program.”
Last year’s tournament raised $25,000. And it may return again next year, depending on the board’s decision.
“We’ll de-brief after this event, and see how we did,” said Makofka. “The board will meet (in November), and it will be on their agenda whether they want to do it again.”