Gerry Lowe tourney focuses on having fun and helping local community
Posted May 19, 2011 By Stacey Roy
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Tweet ThisEMC Sports - Starting June 30 with a fundraising golf tournament, the generous spirit and heart of Gerry Lowe will be celebrated in an effort to restore one of his most prized community programs to the area.
The first annual Gerry Lowe Memorial Golf Day will take place at the Lombard Glen Golf & Country Club Thursday, June 30 - exactly one year after his family and friends laid him to rest.
"Gerry was a sports guy," said Hugh Colton, member of a committee which is hosting the fundraising day. "He loved fun. He had a great sense of humour."
Lowe was notorious in the region for his love of hockey, his desire to see others have fun and his efforts to make the lives of some better in any way he could.
This took the form of organizing large events to quietly provide the funds for a young girl to attend her prom or feeding a homeless person he happened by.
'We want to continue that legacy," said Rob Garvin, committee member.
The local man was best known for his work over 10 years in offering a free youth hockey camp for those who could not afford the high cost of such programs. Perhaps it is for this reason that his family asked that any funds raised in his name be directed to bringing that service back to Smiths Falls. Any extra funds will be put to use to subsidize minor hockey costs for families in need.
This and celebrating the spirit of Gerry Lowe is the focus of the Thursday, June 30 golf tournament. This begins with a free barbecue starting at 11 a.m. ( a donation jar will be available for those who wish to make a donation). Participants are then welcome to warm up on the range free of charge before hitting the links for 18 holes at a 12:30 p.m. shot gun start.
DINNER FOLLOWS
Following this day participants will be welcome to sit down to a hot roast beef dinner (beginning at 6 p.m.) Diners are welcome to mingle and check out the many silent auction items available that evening such as a big screen TV, a barbecue and a Senators package. Organizers thanked the many sponsors who have provided auction items and sponsored elements of the day.
Spaces are limited to 144 players (broken into four-person scramble teams) so be sure to contact Rob Garvin at 613-284-6968 to reserve your space today.
"We are getting a lot of golfers come in to say 'count me in'," Colton said.
Organizers estimated that 15 foursome teams have been booked so far for the event, and it is expected that participants from Ottawa, Kingston and the surrounding communities will be arriving for the day of fun in Lowe's memory.
"This event is about Gerry Lowe, what he did in this community and his heart," Colton said.
A drop box will be set up throughout the golf day for donations of used hockey equipment. Equipment can also be dropped off to Century 21 Your Choice Realty at 59 Beckwith Street North in Smiths Falls.
"At the end of the day, we're going to put some money together for a great cause," Garvin said.
HOCKEY CAMP
The camp will run for one week (Monday to Friday) in mid-August and is geared towards children from low-income households who would not be able to take part in such an activity.
"We're working really closely with minor hockey and other organizations to make sure everyone gets on the ice," Garvin said.
The camp will run each day from 5-7 p.m. in Smiths Falls and will be broken into two 50-minute groups to maximize the number of young participants.
Organizers hope that this year's events will be the beginning of many other good-will events organized in the name of Gerry Lowe.
"As we think like Gerry would think ," Colton added. "We see this expanding through time to help a few other areas."
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