THUNDER BAY – Whether it’s on the curling rink or the golf course, Krista McCarville is no stranger to competition.
She also understands the importance of the work being done by the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre, which is why she and her rink hosted the annual Hometown Heroes golf tournament on Thursday for the third year in a row.
“We love playing in this. It's a lot of fun and it’s a great charity,” McCarville said, adding that some of the team’s children have used services provided by the centre.
“George Jeffry is unbelievable,” she said before teeing off on hole No. 2.
McCarville began playing golf with her father when she was younger.
“I'm a very competitive person, so I want to strive to be the best – always, just like in curling.
“I like being out here enjoying the weather, enjoying nature and just trying to improve on another sport, not just curling,” she said.
“Curling is a winter sport, so I always try to enjoy something in the summer and I love golfing. It's a lot of fun.”
She compared the mental side of golf to that of curling.
“If you for a second lose sight of what you're doing, the ball is in the bush or you shank one. In curling it’s the same thing. You can easily miss the shot if you're not mentally focused on it.”
McCarville said she and her teammates would love to shoot better than par on every hole if they could.
“I think if we are getting all birdies we're very happy,” she said, adding that they would need a lot of luck to accomplish that.
Sponsored by the Best Western Plus Dryden Hotel and Conference Centre, the tournament was held at Fort William Golf and Country Club.
This golf tournament, which started 12 years ago, is the only annual fundraiser for the George Jeffrey Children’s Foundation, said Cindy Levanto, the foundation's executive director.
There were 136 players and organizers were hoping to raise $100,000 for the foundation.
“I think we're on par for about $92 to $95,000,” Levanto said.
The foundation funds programs and services at the centre that government dollars are not able to fund.
In 2023, the foundation raised a total of $300,000 for the centre, and staff hope to raise a similar amount this year.
The centre provides physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, communication disorder therapy, and more.
For information about the George Jeffrey Children’s Centre click here.
For more on the golf tournament click here.
