A fundraiser for Parkinson’s disease is returning to Sparwood after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
The Elk Valley Parkinson’s Golf Fundraiser will be a golf tournament at the Sparwood Golf Club on June 4.
One of the organizers, Carol Shelley, said they have a ‘full house’, and that people signed up really fast.
“We have good support,” she said.
Shelley, along with her husband Merl (who has Parkinson’s), have spearheaded the organization of the event with Adam Toner, Terry Hume, and Hadden Kallaway. They have been sending out letters and collecting donations for over a month, and have raised about $5,500 so far.
“And we haven’t had the tournament yet, so that’s quite nice,” Shelley said.
This will be the fifth such fundraiser put on in Sparwood. The last four events before the pandemic brought in a total of $27,451.04. All funds raised go to the Parkinson Society British Columbia (PSBC).
“(The money is) for education, community outreach, research and advocacy and public awareness.”
Entry into the tournament is $50, $10 of which goes to the cause, while $20 goes to the golf club for the greens and $20 is for the event meal. There will also be a raffle at the end of the tournament.
Donations will be collected for about a week after the tournament, Shelley said.
When asked by The Free Press if there is a fundraising goal for the year, she said: “We just try to have fun.”
According to the letter written by the event organizers, Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s, and there are around 15,000 people in B.C. who have it.
“PSBC aims to ease the burden through advocacy, education, research and support services.
“As the Society is supported entirely by donations, fundraisers such as the Elk Valley Parkinson’s Golf Tournament are critical, as they provide the Society with the funds to continue to offer and expand their services.
“I hope that you will consider contributing to this cause.”
Shelley can be contacted at 250-425-4655.
READ MORE: Sparwood golfer Merl Shelley plays through, despite Parkinson’s
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