“And remember, this is a SUPPORTIVE – STIGMA Free room. Everyone, please stand up! Now, sit down if you-yourself have ever suffered from mental unwellness. Sit down if your significant other (spouse), son, daughter, mother, father, brother, sister is suffering or has suffered from a mental health condition. Sit down if your grandparent, aunt, uncle, or cousin is suffering or has suffered from a mental health condition. How about… friends, acquaintances, or business colleagues/associates – sit down if you know anyone who is suffering or has suffered from a mental health condition.”
This is how I started my speech at the 4th annual Fore-Play for Charity Ottawa Women’s Networking Golf dinner. Not one person was still standing in the room.
So much for the statistics that say one in five Canadians cope with the painful symptoms of mental illness every single day. Or that mental illness affects one in three people. It clearly affects all of us. And it still takes an enormous amount of courage to seek help.
THIS is the reason we hold the Fore-Play for Charity Golf Tournament every year.
On Thursday September 6th over 130 people gathered at the Marchwood Par 3 course at The Marshes in Kanata to play in, sponsor, volunteer at, network during, and speak at Fore-Play.
This year, the event raised over $7,000 (and, we are still working on the final tally).
I’m thrilled with the results, of course, as Co-Founder and Co-Host along with my friend and colleague Shelley True of TRUEdotDESIGN. We both lost a brother to suicide. We both feel compelled to reduce the stigma of mental illness.
Four years ago, Shelley and I hatched the idea of bringing women, in particular, to the golf course for an exquisite day of golf, networking, fun, and giving back to the community. We designed in some distinguishing features: valet style parking, 9-holes (with a fun, sponsored activity at each hole), unique games like Diamond in the Rough, a blow-dry & make-up bar, wrapping up with a gala style dinner, LOTS of prizes, auction items and a very popular Promote-your-Business/Promote-Your-Cause Open Mic. Participants receive lunch, cocktails and dinner along with the golf for their registration fee.
Since its inception, our charity of choice has been the Women for Mental Health (WMH) Program at The Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health. The WMH program, itself, was founded in 2011 with 21 women, (I among them), who at a grass roots level recruited like-minded women to make a financial pledge to the program and in turn recruit more women.
The tournament now sells out within weeks, and since 2015, we’ve been able to raise over $25,000 for Mental Health research and care.
When I talk about financial planning with my clients, we focus on how to Spend, Save and Share Wealth optimally. Hosting Fore-Play each year represents that important three-pronged approach in my own life.
To all the golfers, sponsors, volunteers and staff – THANK YOU for the vital part you play in making this important fundraiser such a success! I am very proud of the contribution we’re making, and very grateful for the support we receive.
It really is a fun-filled, business-building, meaningful event. Will you join us next year? Save the date: September 5, 2019, and email me here to get onto our Fore-Play News email list.