Sun | Dec 1, 2024

Red Blazer Golf Tournament to benefit educational capacity building

Published:Tuesday | October 22, 2024 | 12:08 AM
From left: Brandon Thomas, premium wealth officer at VM Wealth Management; Gordon Hutchinson, winner of the 2023 Red Blazer Golf tournament; Wayne Wray, tournament chairman; Glenroy Williams, committee member, Liguanea Lodge; Kirk Crichton, past president
From left: Brandon Thomas, premium wealth officer at VM Wealth Management; Gordon Hutchinson, winner of the 2023 Red Blazer Golf tournament; Wayne Wray, tournament chairman; Glenroy Williams, committee member, Liguanea Lodge; Kirk Crichton, past president of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North; and Johann Campbell, CEO, MicroLabs, sponsor at the 2023 awards ceremony held at the Caymanas Golf Club.

A NUMBER of golfers from the national senior men’s, ladies’ and junior levels have already registered to be among the more than 80 players expected to participate in the 22nd staging of the Red Blazer Golf Tournament, set for November 2 at the Caymanas Golf Course, beginning at 8:30 a.m.

The event will be in full handicap Stableford format. Prizes will be donated by corporate Jamaica.

Over the past two decades, the tournament, hosted by the Liguanea Lodge, has raised more than $10 million, which has benefitted various charities.

This year, the three charities to benefit will be the Rotary Club of St Andrew North Education Foundation; the 2024-2025 Rotary Club of St Andrew North’s major project ‘Arise For Life’, and an educational research bursary established by the Liguanea Lodge for the Tony Thwaites Wing at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

Since the Rotary Club of St Andrew North Education Foundation was formed 28 years ago, it has contributed grants to more than 130 students in need at the secondary and tertiary levels. It is funded by earnings from investments and fundraising efforts, including golf tournaments.

“We are pleased and grateful that the Liguanea Lodge has identified our Foundation as a worthy beneficiary of proceeds from its tournament. This will enable us to continue to raise funds for our scholarship fund and be in a position to disburse grants to 10 or more students in the next school year,” said Donald Patterson, director of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North Education Foundation.

Commitment to education

Nigel Davy, chairman of Innovative Energy Group (IEG), a renewable energy organisation, said: “This sponsorship demonstrates our commitment to support charities that uplift education and the environment in our communities. We are pleased to partner with the Liguanea Lodge on this annual charity golf tournament.“

President of the Rotary Club of St Andrew North, Ian Rose, noted that “our Rotary Club, through this partnership and the proceeds of the event, will contribute to comprehensive support for education, as well as a number of basic starter homes through Food For The Poor Jamaica, which together form the foundational capability needed for self-sustenance in the community. As an established charitable organisation, Rotary and Food For The Poor Jamaica can provide access to quality education for children in disadvantaged communities, as well as housing conducive to learning and retention.”

Brother Marvin Hall, Master of the Liguanea Lodge and founder of Halls for Learning, said: “We are excited about the prospects for this our signature fundraising event, and anticipate a great turnout in support of these worthy causes,”

Presenting sponsors are: Innovative Energy Group and Huawei, while associate sponsors include MicroLabs and Supreme Ventures Foundation. Corporate sponsors are Tony Thwaites Wing, Sagicor, GraceKennedy Financial Group, Mother’s Food Group, and Fesco.

Hole and prize sponsors are: Knutsford Express Services, JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation, GraceKennedy, Halls of Learning, Total Jamaica, Deja, Grand Hotel Excelsior, Hotel 39, Altamont West, Pier One, Totally Male, Wisynco Group, General Foods, National Supply, Eddie’s Esso (Total), Royale Computers, Caribbean Broilers Group, Adam & Eve Spa, Honey Bun, Petromac’s Fesco, One Stop Computers, and Bamboo Blu.