Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

Cougars alumni golf event cancelled

COVID-19 is a handicap no golfer should have to worry about. The pandemic has resulted in provincial restrictions on travel and the size of public gatherings which left the Prince George Cougars no choice.
image.jpg
The eighth annual Prince George Cougars Alumni Hospital Charity Golf Tournament attracted a crowd last year at Prince George Golf and Curling Club. The pandemic has canceled this year's event.

COVID-19 is a handicap no golfer should have to worry about.

The pandemic has resulted in provincial restrictions on travel and the size of public gatherings which left the Prince George Cougars no choice. The WHL club has cancelled the ninth annual Prince George Cougars Alumni Hospital  Charity Golf Tournament.

“The golf tournament is a highlight of the year, not just for the incredible amount of money we raise for Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation, but also for our alumni, sponsors, staff, and volunteers,” said Andy Beesley, the Cougars’ vice president of business. “It’s disappointing we have to cancel this year’s event, but we respect and support the health authorities' regulations and guidelines. We’re already looking ahead to next year.”

Usually held in July, the event is one of the Cougars’ annual fundraisers. The tournament raised $75,000 last year and since it began in 2012, $558,000 has been raised to pay for hospital equipment used primarily in cardiac care for northern B.C. residents .

“It was a difficult decision to cancel, but the right decision in so many ways,” said Judy Neiser, CEO of the Spirit of the North Healthcare Foundation. “The tournament is one of our signature fundraisers and has raised funds to purchase significant cardiac equipment through the years. We are hopeful that donors and players will still see this as a need and support the foundation where possible

“We are so very grateful for our partnership with the Cougars’ Alumni and the Prince George Cougars, along with so many who support the event annually. It truly has become the premier tournament to attend. Our hope is to continue when it is safe for everyone. Healthcare really does touch us all, and it seems even in new and different ways.”

The tournament brings former Cougar players back to the city in which they were based during their WHL junior careers. Despite the cancellation, the team and the Cougars Alumni Association remain committed to the fundraising efforts of Spirit of the North and that support will continue this year.

“On behalf of the Cougars’ Alumni, I’d like to send my thoughts and support to everyone impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said spokesperson Tyler Brough. “We will continue to find ways to support the Spirit of the North this year and we look forward to coming back bigger and better than ever next summer.”