Close-Knit Community, Massive Impact: VJHF Charity Classic Raises Over $600,000
Back by popular demand, the UBCO golf team stepped in for “Hit by a Pro” to set golfers up for birdie success at this year’s Charity Classic. (From left to right: UBC Okanagan Golf Team, joined by Holly, Garrett and Wayne from Corbett Office Plus and Ginny Scott, Vice-President VJHF Board.)
“The success and 17-year legacy of Charity Classic belongs to the close-knit community behind it. From our tireless organizing committee to our incredibly generous donors, sponsors and volunteers, everyone shares a deep commitment to local healthcare. ”
This year’s Charity Classic helped purchase a state-of-the-art Orthopedic Surgery Table. This table enables less invasive routine procedures — like total hip replacements — as well as urgent, life-saving hip and femur fracture surgeries.
Golf Tournament Raises Essential Funds for Healthcare in North Okanagan
VERNON, BC — The Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation’s 17th Annual Charity Classic golf tournament – held on Sunday, August 23, at Predator Ridge Resort – broke another record by raising over $600,000 for essential medical equipment at VJH. To date, this tournament has raised over $4.9 million for local healthcare.
The record-breaking total cements the Charity Classic’s standing as the premier charity golf tournament in B.C.
“It’s no secret how incredibly passionate everyone involved is about this event, but it’s still astounding that every year our community manages to raise the bar even higher,” says Kate McBrearty, executive director of VJH Foundation.
The emotional high point of the evening came when title sponsor Paul Docksteader took the stage, moved to tears by the evening's impact, and officially committed the Paul Docksteader Foundation to sponsoring the Charity Classic for the next 10 years.
McBrearty attributes the event’s historic, back-to-back growth to this deeply committed community — including venue sponsor Predator Ridge Resort, the members who generously donate the course for the day, over 30 local business sponsors, dedicated volunteers, and the golfers who return year after year. A cornerstone of the evening program is Fund-A-Need, where attendees directly pledge funds for critical equipment at Vernon Jubilee Hospital.
This year, the VJH Foundation Charity Classic helped purchase a state-of-the-art Orthopedic Surgery Table. With six orthopedic surgeons performing over 600 hip surgeries annually, this advanced table enables less invasive routine procedures — like total hip replacements — as well as urgent, life-saving hip and femur fracture surgeries.
In addition to the orthopedic table, this generous community helped purchase a Neoprobe Gamma Detection System to precisely locate cancerous tissue during surgery, a Masimo SedLine to monitor brain activity and ensure safe anesthesia levels, as well as Vital Signs Machines, oxygen concentrators, and mobility aids.
“The success and 17-year legacy of Charity Classic belongs to the close-knit community behind it,” says McBrearty. “From our tireless organizing committee to our incredibly generous donors, sponsors and volunteers, everyone shares a deep commitment to local healthcare. The day was perfect, the evening magical. Days like this make us proud of a community driven to ensure our medical teams get the equipment they need to continue delivering exceptional care.”