Shelburne Golf & County Club to hosts annual Pro-Am tournament

July 19, 2018 · 0 Comments

Written By BRIAN LOCKHART

The Flame of Hope golf tournament in support of Diabetes Canada will get underway at the Shelburne Golf and Country Club on Tuesday, July 31.

This annual event raises funds to send area children to Camp Huronda in Huntsville.

The camp is a place where kids with diabetes can have summer fun while being supervised by trained medical professionals.

“This is our fifth year doing this tournament,” explained engagement coordinator for Diabetes Canada and tournament chair Jeremy Steinhausen. “We hope to send 30 local kids living with Type 1 diabetes to D-camp which is our diabetes specific camps that we run.”

The kids who attend the camps get all the fun of a regular camp outing but have the assistance of medical professionals on site.

In addition to fun activities, it’s also a learning experience for them as they learn more about controlling diabetes and how to make healthy choices when it comes to things like diet.

The D-camps are open for kids ages seven to 17.

“For us it’s about creating a community for those living with Type 1 diabetes,” Steinhausen said. “A lot of these kids don’t get to go to an overnight camp because of that medical liability. We have one staff member for every three kids so we can ensure they get full medical treatment. They do everything from kayaking and canoeing to hiking and camping trips. It’s the typical camp stuff. They learn how to be physical and learn how to manage their diabetes at the same time. For a lot of the young kids it will be their first time away from home and they get to learn how to manage their diabetes without their parents. It’s learning independence as well.”

The Flame of Hope tournament at Shelburne Golf and Country Club has raised more that $200,000 over the years in support of this cause.

This is a pro-am tournament meaning each foursome will be accompanied by a professional golfer for the first nine holes.

They even have some former NHL players who will take part as celebrity guests.

There are still some spots left for the tournament so it’s not too late to sign up and enjoy a day of golf while raising money for a good cause.

You can find out more by visiting the Diabetes Canada website.