SLGCC sponsors applauded, treated to a day on the links for supporting, helping make the club look even more professional

Tim Brody - Editor

“It’s a hidden gem. I brag about it all the time to friends and family,” Sioux Lookout Home Hardware Co-Owner Jamie Wisnoski said recently of the Sioux Lookout Golf and Curling Club (SLGCC). Now, thanks to local sponsors, that gem shines even brighter.

Improvements have been made to the course within the last year such as new hole signage and stands, flags, hole cup liners and covers and tee box markers through a sponsorship program initiated by Gina McFee-Bernier, Broker, Royal LePage Lannon Realty, Garth Hyslop of Stone Ashton & Wright and SLGCC greens keeper Kyle Durante. The trio collaborated on the project for the last two years with a goal to freshen up the course.

“It was a huge success! The course looks amazing, and that could not have happened without the dedicated attention of Kyle, and the great support we received from these local businesses: Bob David Consulting, Drew Osteopathy, Garth Hyslop of Stone Ashton & Wright, H&M Cars, Home Hardware, Madsen Motors, Mascotto’s Marine, Morgan Fuels, The Standard Insurance, SkyCare and myself,” McFee-Bernier said.

Lake of the Woods Brewery has also sponsored  all of the new putting green flags at the course.

“Over 20 years ago I introduced the first hole flag sponsorship program for the club, with again, a goal to achieve desperately needed new hole flags for the course, to achieve some revenue for the club, while offering an advertisement opportunity to local businesses,” McFee-Bernier explained.  

“I am proud to say that to this day we still have participating in these programs, what I have come to call “the original 6.”  Five local businesses whom have always answered my calls, supporting with me, and stepping up each time called upon to keep this needed program ongoing. These business people do have names, which I would like to acknowledge: Niels and John Madsen, Bruce George, Darrell Morgan, Jamie Wisnoski, Sharon Sayers, and of course myself. 

“I want to once again, thank all of the past and new sponsors for their support. I want to thank Kyle and Lawrence Durante and Al Molstad for their dedicated volunteer work they always offer to our course,” McFee-Bernier shared. 

To thank businesses for their support of the club, a sponsors tournament was held on June 3.

Social distancing and COVID-19 public health measures were adhered to throughout the event. 

McFee-Bernier pointed out, “There is one original sponsor that sadly could not be with us all at our appreciation golf event today - and that is Harvey Friesen. His loyalty to the Sioux Lookout Golf and Curling Club all of those years could not go unrecognized.  We decided not to include hole sign #9 in this sale program. The club has dedicated that hole to honouring the memory of Harvey!” 

Father and son Niels and John Madsen of Madsen GM said they were happy to support the club.

Niels Madsen, Madsen GM Dealer Principal, shared, “I’ve been on the executive for somewhere around 30 years. I think it’s a very important part of the community and we do everything we can to help support the club. The club is in great shape right now. Kyle is doing a wonderful job here and they’re making it into a classy golf course. Very excited about that. John feels the same way I do, so it makes it easy for us.”

Madsen GM General Manager John Madsen agreed with his father, stating, “The course is in as good of condition as we’ve ever seen. The volunteers have really stepped up with some of the finishing touches, with the tee box markers, the cup and flagstick replacements. Businesses I think are very supportive and really happy to see the effort. It’s really about the volunteers and employees here. They’re doing a great job to keep everything in top notch condition. It’s really amazing for our small town to have a course like this. Proud to support it.” 

Tara Drew of Drew Osteopathy shared, “Drew Osteopathy is honoured to be the sponsor of Hole #6 at the Sioux Lookout Golf and Curling Club. Working with people who are recovering from injury, the importance of exercise, walking, and movement is paramount to progress both physically and mentally.  Golf is one of those sports that has a place for all ages and abilities. The golf course has become a second home and it is wonderful the community can get out and enjoy the weather and the amazing course that has evolved over the years.  I would like to thank the Board and employees of the Golf and Curling Club for their outstanding work in promoting our great course!”

SkyCare Charter Manager Adam McCarty shared of SkyCare’s support of the club, “We are definitely happy to support the club and certainly try to become involved in really any way that we can support the community. We have a number of golfers that work with us that go and visit the course, so it made sense to have that connection and we were certainly very grateful for them to put the event on for us.”

Sharon Sayers, Sioux Lookout Branch Manager for The Standard Insurance, said, the company is happy to step up to plate and support the club.  “This is for Sioux Lookout. Everybody enjoys the course,” she commented. 

Wisnoski shared of the club and its nine hole course, “This is a place that’s very dear to my heart. I enjoy golfing a lot. I would really hate for our small community to lose such an important part of it.”

“I hope that more people can come and enjoy it,” he said, adding, “It’s a challenge, as well as scenic, and it’s really carved out of Northwestern Ontario with rock and water, etcetera.”

McFee-Bernier again wished to thank all of the club’s sponsors for their contributions following the event, as well as Durante and Hyslop for working with her to help make the sponsorship program so successful and the course so beautiful.

“Gina kind of spearheaded it and we were able to get all the new holes signs, the flags, the cups, the pins, you name it, so it brought the general appearance of the club up quite a bit. A lot of people love the signs and appreciate the new look and making the course look and feel a lot better,” Kyle Durante shared.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do this without Gina’s help,” Hyslop said.

“I just want to thank the sponsors too. You can see how well our course has become here. It’s looking like a professional course. It’s absolutely gorgeous. We’re at 158 members already. We’re becoming very popular. The course is very well played and people love it in town and thank you to the sponsors for helping out to make this course look as good as it is. A big hand to all of you,” he concluded.