Golf tourney in Lansdowne honoured Gord Brown
This year’s Gord Brown Memorial Golf Tournament teed off on Wednesday at the picturesque Smuggler’s Glen Golf Course situated in Lansdowne in the Thousand Islands region.
The tournament recognizes the work of the late MP Gord Brown on behalf of people in most need in our region.
Money raised goes to local programming supported by the United Way Leeds & Grenville (UWLG) and provided by the YMCA of Eastern Ontario. All programs aim to strengthen our communities and ignite the spark of our individual and collective potential.
Organizers held a press conference on Wednesday featuring NHL legends Larry Robinson, Jay McClement, Todd Gill and the Brown family, along with representatives from UWLG and the YMCA.
The players spoke of their relationship with the Brown family and the tournament – all familiar with the tournament, and repeat participants.
“A great cause for a lot of people in a great area here in Ontario,” said Robinson.
Organizers spoke about the cause.
“The United Way Leeds and Grenville is proud to carry on MP Gord Brown’s charitable vision of helping people in Leeds and Grenville,” said Hailie Jack, executive director of UWLG.
The funds raised from the tournament will not only support UWLG and the YMCA, but also the 21 community impact programs, which is funded by UWLG.
Participants were served delicious food, a full day of golf, hockey legends, and a collective action to remember and honour MP Brown’s legacy, while also supporting local non-profits that help combat food insecurity, along with social isolation, opportunities for youth and housing affordability – some of the pressures that many in the region face today.
“Participants and sponsors may not realize the level of impact they have when they participate in the gold tournament or donate to the United Way or the YMCA,” said Rob Adams, CEO of YMCA of Eastern Ontario. “If we look at the impact to youth support alone allowed the Y to provide about 30,000 meals through our youth programs. It is not unusual for kids to tell us that it is their first meal of the day or to ask to have food to take home to a sibling or a parent.”
The YMCA also saw over 4,000 visits to Teen Night, nearly 3,500 visits to the after-school drop-in and more than 430 visits to the Bern program in Gananoque from at-risk youth who want access to a safe and welcoming space for social engagement.
The Brown family spoke about how proud they are to continue Gord’s legacy of giving back to the community. Gord’s mission was to ensure that everyone had an opportunity to thrive, and the Brown family is continuing this philanthropic work. This tournament is part of that.
Gord’s eldest son Chance and his brother Jeff were honorary co-chairs for the event.
Registration began at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, followed by shotgun start at 12 p.m., cocktails and dinner at 6 p.m. and prizes and live auction at 7:30 p.m.
In total, over 140 golfers participated.