Special Olympics Athletes were putting and driving for many groups who took part in the fundraising event

By Tommy Osborne

Special Olympics

Annual golf tournament raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for local athletes

Jul 26, 2024 | 5:41 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – The 28th annual Special Olympics BC Prince George Golf Fundraising Tournament was hosted today at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Special Olympics athletes in Prince George.

“It’s one of the the most important things in his life. He gets to travel because of the money that’s made at these sporting events. And he gets to practice, he gets the best equipment, he gets the chance to play against other people from other areas. And they all get to know one another. It’s a real camaraderie, they do really well.” said Grant Evenshen, a father of a Special Olympics athlete.

No exact number is tallied up yet for how much this year’s fundraiser raised, but event organizers estimate to be around $100,000. Last year raised $120,000, and all the money raised plays a huge role in supporting local athletes, as the money helps fund things like travel, accommodations, equipment, and more.

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“This is huge for the athletes. This gives them the chance to be able to participate in all these sports and travel, and there’s no way they would be able to afford that. So this is giving them that opportunity to be able to enjoy all the sports,” said Special Olympics BC Prince george Public Relations Coordinator Wilma Van Hague.

“They compete at such a high level, and the prizes are what they’re looking for, but they also like being talked to and seen and playing together as a team. It’s a big team spirit thing, playing together as a team, it’s a very, very positive thing,” Eveneshen said.

Special Olympics athletes can start as young as elementary school and go all the way into their senior years, with some Prince George athletes competing for decades. Prince George has 14 different programs with more than 100 athletes, and the chance to support local athletes and the community through a fun golf tournament is quite special for Tournament Coordinator Karen Emerson.

“They’re really enjoying what they do, and so many of them have multiple sports that they play in. It’s just a very good feeling, and it’s nice to be able to help out the community,” Emerson said.

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