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Golfing in pink fore a cure
Breast cancer research fundraising tournament a hit

Roxanna Thompson
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, June 20, 2013

LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The Seven Spruce Golf Course was awash with shades of pink as a women-only tournament took over the greens on June 15.

NNSL photo/graphic

Trish Clough, left, Allyson Skinner, Amy Fraser-Michaud and Leanne Jose of the Rack Pack transformed two golf carts into a stylish, oversized bra. The team won the best dressed competition at Golf Fore the Cure and finished in second place after a chip off. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

Forty-four golfers on 11 teams competed in the Golf Fore the Cure tournament. This was the third time the event was held in the community, and the first time the Moosehide Mammas women's hockey team organized the tournament. On the fairways and greens, the female golfers displayed creative costumes as well as golfing finesse over 18 holes.

First place had to be settled with a chip off after the Rack Pack of Leanne Jose, Trish Clough, Allyson Skinner and Amy Fraser-Michaud tied at 78 with Ramona Hardisty-Gillis, Melissa Hardisty-Beaverho, Louisa Moreau and Colinda Blondin of Daboriginals.

Blondin sealed the win for Daboriginals after landing her ball closest to the pin.

"I couldn't believe how big and pink it was," Blondin said about the tournament.

This was the first time members of the team making up the Daboriginals, except Moreau, had competed in Golf Fore the Cure.

"I thought it was really good because everyone gave each other pointers," said Hardisty-Beaverho.

The weather, which was hot and sunny all day with a strong breeze, was also great, she said.

The team scored 39 on both their front and back nine. The team got its only birdie on hole four in the morning. Hardisty-Gillis made the first three hits and Hardisty-Beaverho chipped it in.

"It was a sweet frickin' chip," Hardisty-Beaverho said.

The Daboriginals, who was one of the few teams without a co-ordinated costume, are already making plans for what to wear next year.

Although they lost the chip off and finished in second place, the Rack Pack was still incredibly enthusiastic about the tournament.

"We had a blast," said Skinner.

The team started with a birdie on their first hole, hole 7, with a drive by Skinner and a chip in by Clough. It was their only birdie of the day with other attempts coming close, but not quite succeeding.

The Rack Pack earned 38 on the front nine and 40 on the back nine. Jose won the longest putt award on hole five with a 4.8-metre putt. The team did a lot of screaming after she sunk the ball.

The Rack Pack was also celebrating winning a trip for four to Little Doctor Lake courtesy of Simpson Air for having the best team costume. In addition to having matching hats, shoes, skirts and tank tops, the team spent six hours transforming two golf carts into one large, pink bra.

The Rack Pack members thanked all of their corporate donors who helped them raise $2,500 that will go to the Canadian Cancer Foundation for breast cancer research, especially Ted Grant.

In addition to donating $200 to the team, Grant lent them his golf cart, donated the prize for the best dressed award through his company and volunteered at the tournament while wearing a pink striped shirt and pink socks.

"He was our biggest cheerleader," said Fraser-Michaud.

Many people and companies volunteered and donated to the tournament, said Laurie Ozmun, the president of the Moosehide Mammas.

The turnout for the tournament, as well as the effort that went into the team costumes, both impressed her. Ozmun said the Moosehide Mammas decided to host the tournament because after doing so much fundraising for the team, the members wanted to give back and support another cause. As of June 17, the tournament raised $4,370 for breast cancer research.

The Mammas will be collecting donations until June 30. People can also make donations online at the Golf Fore the Cure website.

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