When a field of charity-minded golfers tees off for this year’s Frank Kelly Memorial Golf Tournament on June 4, it will mark two decades of fundraising to fight cancer through an event initiated by a group of local men whose lives were all impacted by the deadly disease.
The first tournament, originally dubbed “Tee it up for Cancer” was held at the Pike Lake Golf Centre on June 22, 1994. The event was organized by Frank Kelly, Gary Thackeray, Mark MacKenzie and Brent Cochrane.
Sue Kelly, Frank’s wife, doesn’t recall a lot of discussion about why they were putting together a cancer fundraiser, but Thackeray had lost his mother to the disease and Cochrane and MacKenzie had both lost brothers.
With the help of family and friends, the organizers reached out to the community for hole and prize sponsors as well as golfers for the first event.
They also called upon a former resident of Harriston, television and radio personality Neil Aitchison, to be the first celebrity guest speaker.
So with 56 golfers attending, on what organizers recall as “a beautiful sunny day,” the foursome raised $1,576 at the inaugural tournament.
Top team at the initial tournament consisted of Kim MacKenzie, Howie Pruden, Paul Hartung and Terry Wick, who earned first pick at the prize table filled with donations from numerous businesses and individuals.
Tragically, just a year later, Frank Kelly was diagnosed with cancer. The disease they had banded together to fight had closed the circle and impacted all four of the organizers.
“They were all touched by it. Everyone has been,” said Sue Kelly.
Building on the successful first year, the tournament quickly gained momentum and the number of sponsors and golfers started to rise, along with the amount of money raised.
For many years, the tournament continued the tradition of providing a celebrity guest speaker. Over the years, the list included two-time short track speed skating champion Kathy Hunt, former Toronto Argonaut Bill Symons, NHL linesman Ron Asselstine and Sports broadcaster Don Cameron.
In recent years, speakers have included local residents whose lives have been affected by cancer.
With the Tee it up for Cancer tournament in full swing, it became a regular yearly outing for many golfers, and over the first eight years organizers raised $24,161 for the Canadian Cancer Society.
In 1998, Frank Kelly lost his personal battle with cancer, but that didn’t stop his fellow organizers from continuing the fight. The following year, the tournament raised nearly $4,000.
In 2002 the tournament underwent a name change. To honour his memory and dedication to the tournament, the event was renamed the Golf for a Cure Frank Kelly Memorial Golf Tournament.
The very next year the field was maxed out at 144 golfers and the number of hole sponsors and contributors also rose, along with the total dollars raised. The $7,000 mark was achieved for the first time.
The 2003 event also featured a heartfelt message from Chris Kelly, who shared his thoughts on his father, noting in an e-mail from Vancouver that Frank would be “honoured the tournament now carries his name.
“I don’t think Dad would want cancer to define our memory of him or for it to be the main thing we remember about his life,” Chris wrote.
“I live two blocks from the cancer centre out here and I bike by it every day on my way to work. Seeing cancer patients used to bother me, but now I just think about this tournament and the many other fundraising events that take place all over Canada and that makes me feel a lot better.
“Maybe someday, people won’t have to go through what most of us have gone through.”
He added, “Dad was a fun-loving guy who loved to eat, have a few drinks, laugh, golf and was just happy to be alive. And a good way to honour all those who we’ve lost to cancer is to do just that – enjoy life.”
By 2006, after 12 years on the organizing team, Thackeray stepped aside and Sue Kelly and her brother Dave Mallett took the lead, as they continue to do today, backed by a strong contingent of volunteers.
The tournament continued to flourish and in 2009 raised over $10,000 for the first time. Sponsorships were at a high, which made the live auction and new silent auction more exciting.
This trend continued into 2010, as the amount raised went beyond the $11,000 mark and a waiting list of golfers was now in place. Also in 2010 a new fundraising element was added, with the introduction of memorial pin flags that would be placed on one of the 18 holes to honour a family member or friend who had been taken by cancer.
Other special events, such as a hole-in-one to win a car contest, or “Beat the Pro” competition have added variety, and profitability, to the tournament.
Although 2011 was a good year for the tournament, another of the founding members, Brent Cochrane, passed away.
“His contributions to the tournament and the community will be missed by all,” organizers state.
Cochrane’s daughter B.J. is now part of the organizing committee. She feels the opportunity the tournament provides for old friends to get together and golf for a good cause is one of the elements that has kept it going – and growing.
“A lot of the people that golf have been in it since the beginning,” she said. While many of the participants travel to the tournament, most of them “have roots here,” she notes.
Over the years, the tournament has been blessed with generally good weather. Cancellation was never necessary, although rain delayed the start one year and on another occasion the last foursome had just made it back to the clubhouse when a major thunderstorm struck.
With total proceeds from the tournament eclipsing $118,000 since its inception, organizers plan to keep the event rolling beyond the 20-year milestone and welcome new participants to join the committee.
Organizers are now preparing for the 20th annual Golf For a Cure Frank Kelly Memorial Tournament, which is scheduled for June 4 at Pike Lake Golf Centre.
“Back in 1994, Brent, Frank, Mark and Gary would never have imagined the success this event would have achieved and the amount of money raised for the Cancer Society,” organizers note, commending the volunteers, sponsors and golfers who make the tournament come together each year. “Their dedication to the event and more so to the cause of finding a cure is memorable and rewarding.”
While the slate of golfers for the 20th tournament was filling up fast, spaces were still available as of press time. To be part of the 20th annual tournament, or to become involved as an organizer for future tournaments, contact Dave Mallett at 519-338-2275 or by email mallett@wightman.ca.
