Sports and Scholarships
Tuesday March 19 2024 
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Pike Lake Golf Course
509259 visitors
since March 26, 2009

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History



 
Sports & Scholarships...
started as "Circle of Friends" Fun Day
The tournament originated in 1989 as the "Circle of Friends" golf with sixteen friends who gathered at Foxwood Golf Course.
in 1990, the tournament was established as a reunion event for staff and stakeholders in Huronia Hockey Camp which had been operating since 1972 at Pike Lake Lodge and Golf Course.
That first "official year" in 1990 had doubled to 32 golfers and grew to 80 golfers by the mid 1990s.
In 1996 a modest fundraising component was added to provide funding for scholarships (See Scholarships Recipients list of 95 students who have received an award) and has also provided modest funding for other minor sports and charitable endeavors.
Since 1997, the tournament has sold out every year except one and is often sold out one year in advance through pre-registration.
 
The 30th annual tournament is scheduled for Thrusday July 4, 2019 and will be the final tournament as the event is sun-setted.
 
The 25th annual "Quarter Century Milestone tournament was held Thursday July 10, 2014.  
 
Golfers with thirteen (13) or more years of participation include:
 

24 years - John Thompson, Waterloo, ON

22 years - Dan Weaver, Kitchener

21 years – Cathy MacTavish, Waterloo (Scholarship Selection Committee)

20 years - Joe Bogensberger, Kitchener 

            - Peter Cober, New Hamburg

            - George Dziarski, Waterloo

            - Marianne Dziarski, Waterloo

           - Pat Simpson, Mildmay

19 years – Rick Campbell, Mississauga (Scholarship Selection Committee)

             - Rick Lobsinger, Mildmay

             - John MacTavish, Waterloo (deceased 2012)

             - Nook Schmalz, Mildmay  

            - Don Weaver, Kitchener (deceased 2012) (Scholarship Selection Committee) 

18 years - Bill Ballagh, Kitchener

            - Ellen Schmalz, Mildmay (Scholarship Selection Committee)

17 years - Doug Breig, Mildmay

            - Larry Simpson, Kitchener 

16 years - Ray Kipfer, Waterloo

            - Dave Kirkconnell, Walkerton

            - Mike Litwiller, Waterloo

            - Ted Scharf, Waterloo

            - Bryan Thompson, Waterloo 

 15 years – Rick Behling, Waterloo

             - Patty Berard, Thorold

             - Ben Bjorkenstam, Kitchener

           - Robert Cleland, Mildmay

            - Todd Cober, Kitchener

             - Bill Creighton, Waterloo

            - Tom Gural, Kitchener

             - Archie Weiler, Mildmay

14 years – D’Arcy McKinley, Cambridge

             - Lance Roberts, Waterloo

             - Chuck Salter, Stratford

             - Curtis Schmalz, Mildmay

13 years – Joe Allen, Waterloo

             - Jacquie Ballagh, Kitchener

             - Doug Dowson, Puslinch

             - Bill Lark, Mildmay

             - Bruce McDonald, Mildmay

             - Bill Merkir, Cambridge

             - Mary Anne Merkir, Cambridge

             - Brenda Thompson, Waterloo

             - Rob Thompson, Fort McMurray 

 
 
Donations
In addition to the 99 financial awards provided to secondary school graduates (52 in Kitchener-Waterloo & Area and 47 in South Bruce), and the 38 sponsored awards at the two Mildmay-Carrick Elementary Schools, donations have been made to other charities and community organizations.
 
AMJS2 Benefit Golf Tournament
Alzheimer Society of Perth County
Anderson, Charlie & Vailynn - Trust Fund
Bereaved Families of Ontario
Bernhardt Insurance United Way Squash Tournament
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kitchener-Waterloo/Gatherings
Blueberry Benefit Golf Tournament
Brian Strickland Scholarship Fund
Cambridge Ice Hounds
Cambridge Shelter Corporation
Camp McGovern
Canada Helps 
Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame
Canadian Cancer Society
Canadian Caribbean Association Scholarship Fund
Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Society
Canadian Landmine Association
Canadian Midget Softball Championships
Canadian Red Cross Society
Canadian Women's Foundation
Carrol Forbes Foundation - International Softball Congress
Centre in the Square School Program
Chepstow Peewee Softball Team
Child Witness Centre
Children's Wish Foundation
Clarke Young Legacy Fund
Clarky's Kids
Dan Snyder Memorial Dinner
Dave Blackburn Fastball Film
Drayton Entertainment Capital Fund
Drayton Festival Theatre Shooting Star Campaign
Drew  Hildebrand Teen Benefit Fund
Erie Street United Church - Mac Lindsay Memoriam
Easter Seals Society - Conn Smyth Dinner
Eastleigh Project
Family and Children's Services of Waterloo Region
Grand River Cancer Centre
Grand River Hospital Foundation
Greg Dietz Memorial Hockey Tournament
Golf Historical Society
Guardian Angel Fund
Heart & Stroke Foundation
Hockey Ministries International
Hockey Night in Mildmay - Hockey Heritage Project
Hospice of Waterloo Region Appealspeil and Clarica House
House of Friendship Golf Tournament
I Can Foundation
Ilderton Skating Club Bursary Fund
Independent Living Centre (Tournament of Hope)
Investors Group Huron United Way Golf Tournament
Jason Douglas Olympic Project
John Howard Society
Josh's Lemon Aid Stand for United Way
K-W Habilitation Services
K-W Kiwanis Club
K-W Minor Boys Softball Association
Kenya School Building Mission
Kids Can Play
Kids Zone
Kitchener Fastball Promotions - ISC Tournament
Kitchener Fastpitch Jamboree
Kitchener Fire Rangers
Kitchener Minor Baseball Association
Kitchener Minor Girls Softball Squirt Team
Kitchener Minor Hockey Association (Donna's Kids Program)
Kitchener Ranegrs Hockey Club
Kitchener Sports Association - Legacy Fund & Olympic Dreams
Kitchener-Waterloo Racquet Club
Kitchener-Waterloo YMCA
Kraut Line Project - Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Lions Club of Kitchener-Waterloo - "Citizen of the Year"
Make-a-Wish Foundation - Maple Leafs Dinner
Manulife Bike and Hike
Mary Lynn Forrest Memorial Golf Tournament
Mildmay-Carrick Homecoming 2013 Ball Hockey Tournament
Mildmay-Carrick Minor Hockey Association
Mildmay-Carrick Minor Softball
Minto Fire Department (In memory or Irv Cowen)
Northfield Racquet/Xerox Junior Squash Championships
Nutrition for Learning
Ontario Special Olympics
Our Place Family Enrichment Centre
Pike Lake Minot Lions Club - Cancer Patient Services
Pride of Canada Masters Softball Team
Relay for Life - Canadian Cancer Society
Renison College BSW Program
Ride with Lance - Grand River/Sunnybrook Hospitals
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate
Rotary Club of Kitchener Westmount
Royal Canadian Legion Branch #530 Snooker Tournament
Royal LePage Scharf Realty United Way Dinner Theatre
Send 'em Off Smiling
Sidney White Donation Fund
Special Hockey International
Special Olympics
Sports for Special Athletes
St. Anthony Daniel PLC Fund
St. Mary's Hospital Foundation (Spin 12)
Sunbeam Centre
Teeswater Town Hall Campaign
The Working Centre/St. John's Kitchener - Mayors Dinner
Tournament of Hope Golf Classic
University of Waterloo "Blackboard Club"
Walkerton e-coli Relief Fund
Waterloo Legion Peewee Fastball Team
Waterloo Printing United Way Squash Tournament
Waterloo Public Library Magazine Sponsorship
Waterloo Region Museum
Waterloo Siskins Hockey Club Scholarship Fund
Waterloo Twins Fastball Team
Waterloo Warriors Softball Team
Waterloo Wild Soccer Club - "Quest for England"
Western Ontario Athletic Association "Building For Our Future" Capital Campaign
Western Region Squash Association
Women's Crisis Services of Waterloo Region
Woodstock Sports Dinner
Woolwich Community Services
 
Honorary Chairs (see Photo Gallery)
The tournament has featured a variety of Honorary Chairs for the event over the years.
2018 - Mike Penny - Scout, Toronto Maple Leafs - Vancouver BC
2017 - Gary Gravett, Goderich Sunset Golf Club, Goderich ON
2016 - Bill "Skip" Johns, golf journalist 
2015 - Al McDonough, alumnus, NHL Pittsburgh Penquins
2014 - John Upham - Chicago Cubs MLB alumnus - Windsor, ON
2013 - Mark Vines - retired NHL official (linesman) - Elora, ON
2012 - Bob McKillop - Waterloo Region Hall of Fame(baseball) - Kitchener, ON
2011 - Don Cameron & Mike Farwell - Broadcast Team - Kitchener Rangers Hockey 
2010 - Mandy Bujold - Canada Boxing Champion/2012 Olympic hopeful. Kitchener, ON
2009 - Chuck Temple - Illustrator "Brady Brady", Kitchener, ON
2007 - Darren Zack - Team Canada world class fastball pitcher, Garden River, ON
2006 - Ryan Wolfe - Team Canada world class fastball outfielder, Melbourne, ON
2005 - Cliff Thorburn - World Snooker Champion, Toronto, ON
2004 - Ron Asselstine - National Hockey League referee (retired), Guelph, ON
2003 - Randy Steinman - Sports Director, CTV SWO, Kitchener, ON
2002 - Bill McCreary - National Hockey League referee, Guelph, ON
2001Jamie Warren -  Juno Award winning singer, Waterloo, ON
2000 - Ted Scharf - World Hockey Association player (retired), Waterloo, ON
1999 - Rick Campbell - Editor, Waterloo Chronicle, Waterloo, ON 
1998 - Lance Roberts - National Hockey League referee, Waterloo, ON