MOUNT FOREST -The 18th annual Mary Lynne Forrest Golf Tournament, held each summer in support of North Wellington Health Care, raised nearly double its 2022 fundraising goal.
The tournament alternates support each year between the Palmerston and District Hospital (PDH) and Louise Marshall Hospital (LMH) in Mount Forest. This summer brought the return of the event to its pre-COVID format, complete with tournament play, dinner and auction.
For this years’ event, held on July 20, the tournament committee set a goal to raise $35,000 to purchase a colonoscope – an instrument used to assess colon health – for LMH.
“When all was said and done, an incredible $62,000 was raised in support of this goal, which has allowed the tournament committee to fund the purchase of an electric stretcher for use in the emergency room at LMH, in addition to a colonoscope,” states a press release from tournament organizers.
Louise Marshall Hospital development officer Amy Van Huss was on hand at Pike Lake on Aug. 31 to accept the proceeds from this event from the tournament committee.
Since its inception in 2005, the tournament has proven itself to be a fundraising powerhouse, raising a remarkable $920,000 over the past 18 summers. It has funded many vital pieces of medical equipment for both LMH and PDH, including a transport ventilator, a point of care ultrasound machine, defibrillators, portable nursing phones, an echocardiogram machine, multiple scopes, two chairs for the dialysis unit at PDH, a patient mobilizer and renovations of the oncology unit at LMH.
LMH foundation president Scott Hartle stated, “We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support of the both the organizing committee and our local community, including tournament sponsors and participants, who make this fundraiser such a great success each year.”
“Even in 2020 when we weren’t able to hold a tournament due to COVID, our community came through with $25,000 to purchase a transport ventilator for LMH, which was an especially important piece of equipment given the circumstances at the time,” said George Forrest. “The support from our community continues to amaze me.”
Forrest also noted that, with the $1 million mark within reach, he and his team have a second goal in sight in the next couple of years.
