Golf players at Red Deer Lions Club 15th Annual Golf Tournament (Sheila Morrison)

By Alessia Proietti

Winner of 50/50 donates earnings

Red Deer Lions Club raises half a million dollars for community over 15 Annual Golf Tournaments

Jul 26, 2023 | 4:07 PM

CORRECTION: rdnewsNOW was given an error in their information regarding the fundraising total of the 15th Annual Golf Tournament. Half a million dollars was raised over 15 tournaments.

The Red Deer Lions Club says they have raised roughly half a million dollars over their 15 Annual Golf Tournament.s

Officials say 144 golfers participated in the tournament on July 20 at the Alberta Springs Golf Resort, raising $70,000.

Vimal Pillay, former president of the service club and current board member, said their 36 members have been fundraising through door-knocking and corporate sponsorships for six months.

He says it is one of their biggest fundraisers of the year and helps build awareness for the club.

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“Just because of the tournament, we’ve come across different organizations that have the needs requirements for the funding and we’ve contributed that way,” he said.

“We’ve also built awareness that people come to know we exist in town. Even though we’ve been here 83-some years, people still don’t know.”

“This is one of the better ways of telling people that we are here doing fundraising for a good cause.”

Pillay says the funds are distributed throughout the year to various local organizations such as the Red Deer Food Bank, the Golden Circle Senior Resource Centre, the Lending Cupboard medical equipment service, minor hockey and other sports programs, to name a few.

Stationed at their own hole, The Outreach Centre, helping victims of family violence and offering suicide support services, raised $1,300 at the tournament.

As well, the Red Deer Central Lions Speed Skating Club held their annual 50/50 raffle with a special surprise. The winning participant donated his earnings back to the Speed Skating Club, for a grand total of $1,790 in funds raised. Pillay says the the winner, Greg, is a future Lion as he currently does some volunteer work with the service club.

Pillay added the Lions Club has zero administrative costs; so whatever money is raised through the Club is returned back to the central Alberta community.