A charity golf tournament that has been raising money for the vulnerable and needy in Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains for the past 40 years has held its final event – with a record amount raised from players, local businesses, and sponsors.
The Catholic Diocese of Parramatta Charity Golf Day, held at the Richmond Golf Club on 29 September, attracted 144 golfers who took part in the four-person team Ambrose event, and 170 people who sat down for the lunch and presentation afterwards.
The event was started in 1987 by the now-retired school principals Ian Jordan and Richard McGuiness, with the approval of then-Bishop Bede Heather and the Executive Director of Schools Anne D. Clark, to celebrate the formation of the Diocese of Parramatta.
That year it raised $3,000 for St Gabriel’s School for the Hearing Impaired, at Castle Hill.
This year’s event, held under blue skies, raised $22,000 – a record amount – for two charities: the Family Services Program of Catholic Care Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains, which provides early intervention and support for children, young people and families experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, child protection, mental health and family breakdown; and, the MacKillop Scholarship, which supports impoverished students with their high school and tertiary studies.
The guest of honour at this year’s event, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, the Bishop of Parramatta, congratulated everyone on their support for the charity golf day, which has raised more than $650,000 over the past 40 years for very worthy causes. The organising committee, which is chaired by Ian Jordan, also extended its thanks to everyone who took part.
Guest speaker Helen Emmerson, the Executive Director of Catholic Care Western Sydney and Blue Mountains, spoke with compassion and in detail about the Family Services Program, which supports the many families experiencing breakdown and domestic violence in Western Sydney.
Bishop Vincent addressed the gathering at the lunch after the event. Image: Supplied
Other guests included Royce Brennan, the Chief Executive Officer of the Diocesan Development Fund (DDF); Helen Steyns, the DDF Head of Lending Operations and staff; Gerard Giesekam, the Director Finance and Infrastructure of Catholic Schools Parramatta Diocese (CSPD); Amber Devine, the Head of Optimisation at CSPD; Peter Mortimer, owner of Mortimer Family Wines; and Luke Spithill, the Operations Manager of Licensed Clubs, who was also representing the Richmond Club Director Peter Chidgey.
The sponsors included the Richmond Club Ltd, DDF, Oz Fashions Parramatta, Unique Flooring Seven Hills, Richmond Fruit Mart, Murphy Family Agency (Country Road), Lindt Chocolates Marsden Park, Nick Banham, the PGA Pro at Richmond Golf Club, Mortimer Family Wines in Orange, Grange Growing Solutions Ebeneezer, The Marayong Hotel in Kings Park, Drummond Golf in Penrith and Universal Candy in Mt Ku-ring-gai.
Before the 8am hit-off, each player received two golf balls, a special Oz Fashions golf towel, ball cleaning cloth, a bottle of water, a chocolate treat and a tin of sweets. But just as well received were the 160 egg and bacon rolls cooked by Richmond Rotary Club volunteers.
George and Joe Arida, the owners and directors of Oz Fashions, presented the five players who were nearest the pins with a dozen golf balls.
The closest golfer to the $20,000 hole-in-one was local player Tim Youm, who also won a dozen golf balls and two bottles of wine.
The team of Mark O’Connor, Mark Sluiter, Megan Bertenshaw and Rob Somi, from Bede Polding College, South Windsor, won the coveted DDF scratch trophy, with a score of 60. Runners up were Daniel Mufale, Michael Margerison, Nathan Zammit and Kyle Churchill, from St Dominic’s Penrith, with a scratch score of 63. Both trophies were presented by DDF’s Royce Brennan.
The winners of the Unique Flooring Best All Teacher Trophy were Mick Toulson, Tim Coakly, Jarryd Cook, Gavin Hayes from Parramatta Marist, who turned in a creditable nett 56.6. Anthony Krkac, the owner and director of Unique Flooring Seven Hills, also presented the much-contested Best Medley Team, which was won by a local team ‘The Happy Hopefuls’, Karl Lozier, Carolyn Lozier, Fred Walshaw and Steve Burdekin with a nett 60.6.
Bishop Vincent presented a special thanks to several organisations that had been long-time supporters of the event: Royce Brennan and Helen Steyns, from DDF, for 40 years of support: Joe and George Arida, from Oz Fashions, for 32 years and Anthony Krkac, from Unique Flooring, for 17 years. There was also an acknowledgement of the generous support of other past and long-time sponsors Drummond Golf Penrith, Lindt Chocolates Marsden Park and Richmond Food Mart.
“Well done to teams formed from friends, schools and P&F associations who enthusiastically supported and enjoyed the day,” said Ian Jordan.
“Club and Pro Shop staff, the greenkeeping team and chefs were outstanding with the food, and the service was excellent. Bravo to all.”
This initiative supports our Diocesan Pastoral Plan’s priorities of Mission and Community, and our objectives to be a Church that reaches to the margins. Visit Synodality to learn more
