Twenty-five years will be celebrated as the annual Sutter Fund Golf Tournament makes its return.
On Friday, about 240 golfers will hit the links at River Bend Golf and Recreation Area Friday to raise money for local organizations through the Sutter Fund.
It’s been a couple of years since the event has happened, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s really exciting to be back. We do what we do to help the community, families and kids in need,” said Brian Sutter.
“We’ve had so many people request things in the last couple of years and we’ve had so many sponsors who have wanted to help out. It was disappointed we couldn’t have anything the last couple of years.”
Since 1996 the Sutter Fund has raised more than $3 million for various charities, sport organizations and teams, and non-profit organizations.
Sutter said this is “one of the biggest” golf tournaments in Canada.
“We have teams of six and people come from all over Western Canada and places in the United States to help raise money,” he said.
“We always hold it at River Bend golf course – it’s been there for 25 years.”
The inaugural Sutter Fund Golf Tournament started with a seed of an idea to host an event that can raise money “to do some good in the community,” said Sutter.
“With the Sutter Fund, everyone talks about the Sutter brothers – we’re just a part of it. But it’s (all possible thanks to) the committee, all of our sponsors and everybody who comes out to golf to help us raise money for people in need,” he said.
Since that first year, more and more people continue to get involved with the event, said Sutter.
“We’re so lucky that people help us out with it. They give to us and that’s how we raise the money. We’ve been that way since Day 1,” he said.
“When it has grown, it’s grown through sponsorship.”
The event begins Thursday with a silent and live auction at the Gasoline Alley Holiday Inn – that 7 p.m. event is open to the public. The auction had been held at the Black Knight Inn over the years, but due to the inn no longer being here, the venue was switched.
“The folks (at the Holiday Inn) have been absolutely tremendous and that’s why we’ve moved down here. It’s a great family that owns it. It’s our first year down here, so it’s a different location, but we’re excited about it,” said Sutter.
The auction will have a number of items including signed jerseys from current and former NHLers, like Bo Horvat and Jarome Iginla.
More information on the Sutter Fund, visit www.facebook.com/sutterfund.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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