BRIGHT’S GROVE – After a grueling few days at camp, relaxing on the golf course Saturday marked a nice reprieve for a handful of Sarnia Sting players before things ramp back up again next week.
But members of the Ontario Hockey League squad couldn’t completely sit back during the team’s charity fundraising tournament at Huron Oaks Golf Course as they still had jobs to do.
“Meet and greet (and) putt,” goalie Ben Gaudreau said.
Gaudreau, fellow netminder Dylan Grover and center Theo Hill were tasked with camping out at the No. 1 green and giving each best-ball group that came through a free putt preview.
“Maybe sink one or two if we get lucky,” Grover said.
Hill, who is about to head to NHL camp with the St. Louis Blues, said it was nice to mingle with the various foursomes as they filtered through.
“We’ve got some different kinds of fans and that kind of thing so it’s good,” he said. “Nice to connect.”
Saturday’s tournament, the fifth in seven years amid a two-year pandemic-induced hiatus, raised funds for Pathways Health Center for Children. The most recent tournament brought in more than $6,000, a team official said, while Saturday’s event was expected to surpass that figure and perhaps approach the $10,000 mark.
“Very grateful for the partnership with the Sarnia Sting,” said Alison Morrison, the agency’s executive director.
Julie Ingles, the organization’s communications lead, also credited local businesses for sponsoring holes and donating prizes.
“We’ve got some great community support,” she said.
Along with registration fees, donations were being accepted for hot-air balloon rides.
“It’s drawing attention not just from the golfers, but just people in the community that are stopping in,” Ingles said. “People of all ages are going up in the balloon.”
Funds raised Saturday will be used to help the approximately 3,700 local children the organization supports who have communication developmental or physical needs, Ingles said.
For more information, visit pathwayscentre.org.