Girls and Boys Brigade’s Emma Stubley shares with us her reflections on the GBB Charity Golf Day, a day spent raising funds in the spirit of resilience.
It was a sunny but windy day at St Michael’s Golf Course when 144 golfers gathered for The Girls & Boys Brigade Charity Golf Day. The 21st of October marked the 7th annual day that The Brigade have hosted this sell-out event.
Teeing off at 8am, golfers played the 18-hole coastal course, competing for the chance to win the coveted Directors Cup.
The course included a range of on-course competitions, including the Hole in One where golfers tested their aim for the chance to drive away with a flashy A250 Mercedes, provided by the event’s Gold Sponsor Sanderson Mercedes Benz.
The day was also supported by several generous community and corporate supporters, including The Surry Hills Creative Precinct’s Local Reward Program who donated a $250 Local Rewards gift card for one lucky raffle winner with.
Over $127,000 was raised on the day to support The Girls & Boys Brigade. Situated on the corner of Riley St and Arthur St in Surry Hills, The Brigade provides holistic services to help improve the lifelong outcomes for children and youth living with social, educational, and financial disadvantages.
The theme for the day was resilience. Money raised will go towards launching a series of resilience workshops in 2021 for children, youth and their families.
The effects of COVID-19 have seen mental health issues rising at an alarming rate in Australia and the mental health system is experiencing increasing demands. At The Girls and Boys Brigade, many families are turning to its holistic family support service for informal counselling and assistance in navigating government and community services.
At the Golf Day’s lunch, Tracy Clifton, Program Manager at The Brigade told the captive audience, “Our Family Support Program is bursting at the seams. We are very aware that we need to develop specific resilience programs and work harder than ever to ensure our children and youth are supported and flourishing.”
The Brigade encourages resilience by allowing children and youth to face personal challenges that improve their confidence.
“These are things that most of us remember doing at home with our parents,” said Ms Clifton.
“But for many of our children this is not the case, so providing those opportunities through programs like our camps or excursions is really important.”
Amongst ever changing COVID-19 restrictions, it was uncertain for a while whether the day would go ahead. Though COVID-19 restrictions required golfers to socially distance throughout the day, spirits were high and golfers enjoyed the chance to catch up on the green.
“Many charities have had to cancel their annual fundraisers due to COVID-19,” said Stefan Lamour-Jansson, Executive Officer of The Girls & Boys Brigade. “We feel very lucky to have been able to hold our Annual Golf Day. A huge thank you to everyone who helped us put this event together and who donated on the day.”
The Brigade is looking forward hosting its 8th Charity Golf Day at The Lakes Golf Course on the 29th July 2021.
For more information about the organisation, head to their website.
