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Hospital fundraiser gets new life

Two local business owners are trying to fill the fundraising hole left behind when the Chilliwack Bruins left town.

Two local business owners are trying to fill the fundraising hole left behind when the Chilliwack Bruins left town.

Poma Dhaliwal, owner of Jolly Miller Pub, and Dave Archibald, owner of Alpine Valley Disposal and former assistant coach of the Bruins, have taken over the annual charity golf tournament formerly organized by the Bruins Alumni Association.

The charity tournament on Sept. 6 is already sold out with 128 golfers booked and a wait list.

At $175 per person, $700 per foursome, as well as separate hole sponsorships, organizers estimate $30,000 raised for the day – all of which goes to the pediatric centre.

“It’s a good cause,” said Dhaliwal, who has three children under the age of seven. “It’s a shame that [the pediatric centre] should have to suffer just because the Bruins are gone.”

In 2008, the Bruins organization had promised to donate $150,000 over a 10-year span, but when they left town this spring, so did their commitment.

Prior to the team’s departure, it had donated two $15,000 installments. An undisclosed settlement agreement was made between the now defunct Bruins organization and the Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation.

The Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation was not available for comment prior to The Progress deadline.

In previous years, the golf tournament had struggled to fill its spots and attract sponsorship. One year it was even cancelled because of lack of support. But Dhaliwal and Archibald had no such problems. Within six weeks of taking the tournament on, they had filled all spots.

The overwhelming response did not come as a surprise.

“I’ve lived here my whole life; Chilliwack is a very supportive community,” said Archibald.

“The issue of there not being enough money in Chilliwack and people not wanting to support things is proving not to be true.

“We knew this tournament could be a better vehicle for fundraising than it was.”

Dhaliwal and Archibald hope to build on this year’s success and make the event even greater in future years.

The tournament is on Sept. 6 at Chilliwack Golf and Country Club. Anyone interested in providing sponsorships can contact Dave Archibald at 604-823-2370 or Poma Dhaliwal at 604-858-4141.

kbartel@theprogress.com

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