ROCKWOOD, ONT. (October 12, 2021) – This year the Ontario 4-H Foundation hosted its two annual fundraising golf tournaments – one in Guelph, and one in Ottawa. After having cancelled the events last year due to the pandemic, friends of 4-H were anxious to get outside and catch up with each other. Their continued support helped the Foundation raise over $78,000.
Together the two tournaments had 209 golfers. The usual silent and live auctions were moved on-line where more people had a chance to bid on everything from gift baskets donated by local clubs, to tools, wine, memorabilia, wood carvings, and much more. The Foundation gives a huge thank you to both those companies and individuals who donated items and who bid on them. In total the two auctions raised over $13,000.
In conjunction with the auctions, Ontario 4-H Foundation Chair Kim Turnbull organized a competition between 4-H Associations as to which could raise the most money by donating gift baskets filled with local products. In the Ottawa Tournament, first prize went to Renfrew 4-H Association, followed by Northumberland 4-H Association and Frontenac 4-H Association. Haldimand 4-H Association raised the most money for the Guelph Tournament with second and third prize going to Peel 4-H Association and Wellington 4-H Association respectively.
Each of the top three Associations will receive a cash prize added to their Association Endowment Fund from Turnbull as well as a basket of gifts all engraved with Ontario 4-H logo suitable for gifts or awards. Turnbull remarked, “I wanted to donate the prize money as a way to encourage participation by the valuable volunteers who deliver the program at the local level across Ontario.
According to Turnbull, “We have so much appreciation for our sponsors. Our major ones being Ontario Mutuals, Growmark Inc., Canada Life, Kubota Canada Ltd and Ketchum Manufacturing. For a full list of our sponsors, please visit our website at https://4-hontario.ca/supporters/fundraising-events/golf-in-support-of-4-h.”
Monies donated to the Foundation go to the long-term sustainability of 4-H in Ontario. Since 2008, the Foundation has also supported local associations by investing funds on their behalf for the benefit of programs within their area. Every year a percentage of the Foundation’s earnings are used by 4-H Ontario to help keep delivering innovative and exciting projects and events.
Since founded in 1995, the goal of the Foundation has been simple – to acquire and invest funds through endowments and donations for the long-term benefit of the 4-H Programs in Ontario. At the end of 2020, funds managed by the Foundation totaled nearly $2.8 million. The Foundation continues to work to support 4-H Ontario, not only through this pandemic, but also for the future. Regular charitable donations to the Foundation are welcomed and can also be made at https://4-hontario.ca/about-4-h/the-ontario-4-h-foundation/.
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For more information, please contact:
Laura Goulding, Manager, Communications, 4-H Ontario
519.803.5026, communications@4-hontario.ca