By Sheldon Spackman

Charitable Fundraiser

Gord Bamford Foundation set to host 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic

Jul 31, 2019 | 9:06 AM

Music and athletic celebrities will once again be gathering in Red Deer next month for the benefit of youth across Canada.

The Gord Bamford Foundation’s 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic runs August 7-8 at the Cambridge Hotel Resort & Conference Centre in Red Deer and Lacombe Golf and Country Club respectively.

To date, the Gord Bamford Foundation has raised over $3.6 million to support organizations, with Bamford excited to see another great event shaping up.

“We’re hoping to hit our $4 million mark this year,” he exclaims. “It’s been a pretty surreal experience since it started. It’s something that I’m very passionate about and something that I look forward to every year and it’s incredible to see the return rate of celebrities and organizations who have got involved and teams that have bought spots to continue to raise the bar and raise money for central Alberta and people right across Canada.”

JEDCO Energy Services Corp will be returning as the presenting sponsor for the two-day event, with this year’s emcee being Paul McGuire, formerly of ET Canada.

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Hosted by Gord Bamford, officials say the gala evening will see an auction packed with unique items and a delicious dinner for attendees, while the second day will see a full day of golf at the Lacombe Golf & Country club.

The star-studded gala is set to include appearances from Canadian country music stars Jess Moskaluke, Aaron Pritchett, JoJo Mason and Gord Bamford himself.

“There’s lots of different musicians coming and lots of different athletes from hockey players to curlers to Olympians,” he explains. “Kevin Koe is coming, Brad Gushue is back, Dallas Smith is coming back this year. Every year we try and get a different lineup, we’ve got some national singer-songwriters coming in and there will be a cool hot stove with NHL alumni and current curlers, so it’s just going to be another great event.”

Bamford notes the hard work that goes into the event from the dozens of volunteers and supporters involved.

“It’s really an event that doesn’t happen without the volunteers that we have and Corinne (Szepesi), she runs the whole Foundation, she’s an amazing person and really couldn’t be doing it without her,” says Bamford. “Hopefully we get good weather again and away we go.”

With a growing number of attendees at the Gala each year and a waiting list to participate in the Charity Golf Classic, Bamford hopes to be in line with what they’ve been able to raise each year in the past.

“Anywhere from the $400,000 – $600,000 a year seems to be where we’re aiming,” says Bamford. “Hopefully we can stay on pace with that and have another great year.”

The charity golf classic is described as the primary source of fundraising for the Gord Bamford Foundation, with $469,720 raised at 2018’s sold out event.

The funds raised were shared between MusiCounts, Big Brothers Big Sisters – Lacombe, Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre, and supported music therapy programs at children’s’ hospitals across Canada.

“We do a ton of stuff with the Ronald McDonald House, Lacombe Big Brothers Big Sisters is huge,” he explains. “We’re involved with the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre. We’ve done lots in Lacombe with their Athletic Park and their wheelchair accessible parks there and we do a ton with children’s hospitals across Canada, which is really, really important to me.”

To donate directly to the Gord Bamford Foundation, visit gordbamfordfoundation.com.