Teams are being encouraged to register for this year’s event online at the tournament’s new website, www.bernieburkegolf.ca. The tournament will take place at the Parrsboro Golf Club on Friday, Aug. 25, with proceeds going towards the Parrsboro Band Hall and South Cumberland Community Care Centre (SCCCC).
“The money we raise will be going toward the general operation of the hall,” said Patricia Burke, board member for the Parrsboro Band Association and daughter of the late Bernie Burke. “We do have a tender out, and we’re going to replace the complete roof with a steel roof.”
The Municipality of Cumberland County has committed to covering half of the cost of the roof project, with the band association responsible for the remainder.
“We’re pretty well at the other half,” she said. “This golf tournament will head it all off, that’s for sure.”
On a sad note, this year’s tournament will be missing one of its most familiar faces. Bill Wheaton Jr., son-in-law of Bernie Burke and longtime groundskeeper at the golf club, passed away earlier this year. The tournament’s putting contest has been renamed in his memory.
“Billy always looked after it,” said Burke. “It’s going to be different at the course this year without Billy, because he was always the greenskeeper, and made sure things were done exactly like they needed to be done prior to the event.”
Everything else about the event will be staying the same, including the prize of a 2017 Ford Focus being offered to anyone who hits a hole-in-one on Hole No. 3 (during the first nine holes). This prize is being put up by Sargent’s, and Archway Insurance.
The first and second place winners will have their names engraved on a plaque at the golf club.
Players are encouraged to put together their own three-person teams for the event, and can register at the cost of $100 per person.
Money raised from the event has helped make possible plenty of renovation work at the hall, including a remodeled entryway/foyer, and additional funds into the revamped/staging that were not covered by the New Horizons government grant. A new enclosed storage room has also been added next to the seating area, while the annex portion of the building has had a new kitchen installed. Annual donations have also been made the palliative care unit at SCCCC.
For more information on the Bernie Burke Golf Tournament, or to register, visit www.bernieburkegolf.ca.
