“Golf for Kids Sake” tournament highlights BBBS’s accomplishments in 2020

“The quality of life will come down to the quality of your contribution.” – Robin Sharma.

Here at Sana Family Office, we’re all big believers in the power of giving back. That’s why we’ve been proud to sponsor Big Brothers and Big Sisters of the Fraser Valley’s “Golf for Kids Sake” tournament for nearly two decades.

Of course, there were serious doubts that the BBBS would be able to pull off this tournament because of the COVID pandemic. As one of their marquee events on the calendar, that would have been a big hit to their fundraising efforts.

In a year where families and children are already dealing with the hardships brought on by the pandemic, the last thing they need is a for an organization like Big Brothers Big Sister to lack resources needed to give these families support.

Thankfully, the tournament did carry on for a 31st straight year. That just highlights some of the BBBS’s accomplishments this year, in a year like no other.

BBBS’s Executive Director Corina Carroll talked to us about the year that’s been for the organization following the “Golf for Kids Sake” tournament.

“Golf for Kids Sake” a Smashing Success

Even though the tournament was able to take place this year, it means that a ton of protocols and extra work were needed to make it happen.

“Logistically, there was a lot more involved,” Corina Carroll told Sana Family Office. “We, of course, initially thought we’d have to cancel the tournament entirely. Once we heard it could go ahead, we worked with Sandpiper [Golf Course] to start making the necessary changes. We had to re-work the scheduling of tee times, figure out how many golf carts we had and formulate a schedule for when golf carts could be re-sanitized.”

Even though Carroll and her team dealt with the uncertainties surrounding the fundraising endeavor, the was actually an uptick in the number of people that came out to support the event, with 126 people coming out to golf (for kids sake 😊).

“Golf tournaments are always a lot of work, and we had to navigate those changes. However, the 32 teams we had is higher than it’s been in the last few years.

“I think that’s a sign of people wanting to support the charity, while also realizing golf is an ideal sport right now.”

Usually, the tournament is followed up with a dinner and an auction, but that was axed because of COVID this year.

“Overall, sponsorship was down but Assante really helped out us out. I was pleasantly surprised with the support from our top sponsors. It’s nice to see that people and organizations who have been supporting us for many years are focused on supporting the work that we do.

“We Have Pivoted Completely”

Navigating the complexities of hosting a golf tournament was just one example of how BBBS has had to overhaul their operations this year.

“As far as our work goes, we have pivoted completely,” Carroll said.

“We had to put all Big Brother/Sister match activities on hold when authorities put down the tighter regulations. A lot of our staff ended up doing social work, reaching out to families, giving them care packages, gave them mental health and other resources.

“We’re doing everything we can do reach out to families and say hey, we’re still here, and you still matter to us. Children express themselves through playing, so one of the best things you can do is give them opportunity to play.”

Although the adjustments have increased the workload for the BBBS, there are many reasons why it’s so vital for organizations like this to exist in a year like this.

“We saw a huge increase in mental health challenges with lots of families experiencing isolation issues. We dove in quick after the pandemic, working remotely even, and we’re fortunate that we have access to everything virtually. We had to get something in place to keep these families connected.

“It’s been a very interesting time. I would rather we not have a pandemic, but we continue to learn so much that I feel like we’re coming off stronger.”

How You Can Help

Although people everywhere are tightening their spending because of the pandemic, that doesn’t mean you should turn a blind eye at non-profit organizations, especially ones like BBBS that are helping groom the next generation.

“Financially, we always need support. Looking at, 2021, it’s going to be a very tough year. Everyone is going to be tightening belts, so I don’t know what funding will look like.

“What we need more than anything right now is volunteers, and we especially need male volunteers.”

As we continue to support organizations like the BBBS, we encourage you to do the same. You can look at your options for supporting the BBBS by visiting their website.