The generosity of members of the Cedar Glen Golf Course has made a big difference to three young players from the club. Kurtis Barkley. Brandon Cousineau and Jessica Whitteker each received a $500 cheque at a special presentation at the club on Monday, August 20.
“Our September 10, 2011, Members for Members tournament was meant originally to raise funds to defray Kurtis Barkley’s C.P.G.A. entry costs,” said Barry Casselman, a member of the Cedar Glen executive. “But as those costs didn’t materialize, we decided to redirect the funds to three deserving members of the Club. Kurtis, Brandon and Jessica all came up through our Junior Program here at Cedar Glen.”
Each of the three young recipients is deeply committed to sports.
Kurtis Barkley is using the $500 for “entry fees for the Chase the Dream qualifier. The Canadian Tour event is scheduled for Smuggler’s Glen, and the $500 will pay for my entry fees, my driving fees and my practice rounds. The news of the cheque was really great, and I am very grateful to the members of this club.”
Should Barkley qualify at Smuggler’s Glen, he will move on to the Canadian tour. “My chances are good, I hope,” Kurtis laughed. “I have to be one of the top three competitors out of a field of 28. And there are lots of pros in the event.”
For Brandon Cousineau, the Cedar Glen cheque will help off set the expenses he incurred when he played for Team Canada in the 2012 Amputee Hockey Games, held this year in Finland.
“And we came home with the gold medal,” Cousineau said.
Cousineau made it through two major try outs before he was finally selected for the men’s team in the Games. Although normally a forward, during the tournament he played defence. “I was definitely the ‘young guy’ on the squad,” he said.
Brandon said that receiving the cheque from his home golf club took him by surprise. “But I am very glad, very grateful,” he added. He has played golf for years, but “I think I am probably better at hockey,” he smiled.
The third cheque recipient, Jessica Whitteker, was represented by her father, Bruce, at the presentation. The young golfer has already reported to Coastal College of Georgia where she has been awarded a partial golf scholarship.
While she left golf for a short time a few years ago, her father said that “in the last three years, she has been a determined keen golfer. She’s a ‘decent’ golfer,” he said, smiling, “with a five or six handicap. Of course, she hasn’t beaten the old man yet.”
When she was in Florida in early March, a Georgia coach saw Jessica golf and invited her to come to Coastal College for discussions. When the school offered her a two-thirds scholarship, she accepted.
Her father said that Jessica was very happy and very surprised to be honoured with a cheque from her home club. She appreciates the generosity of the Cedar Glen membership. The $500 will go to her educational expenses.
Be the first to comment