Dressed in purple golf attire representing the colour of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis awareness, Morgan Day and Dayton Long golfed from sunrise to sunset Wednesday in Williams Lake as part of the annual PGA of BC’s Golfathon for ALS.
The goal: raise funds by collecting pledges online and at the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club pro shop while playing as many rounds of golf throughout the day as possible.
Starting from the first tee at 4:45 a.m., the duo managed to complete eight rounds of golf, or 144 holes, under what were gorgeous, sunny skies throughout the day.
For Day, who is the general manager at the WLGTC, this was his fifth year playing in the fundraiser. Long, also an employee at the course, was taking part in his second year of the event.
READ MORE: Day endures 10 straight rounds in support of Golfathon for ALS
Both have seen the devastating effects of ALS first hand as, in 2019, longtime WLGTC member, golfer and supporter Bill Montgomery — after a 10-year battle with the disease — died just prior to the fundraiser.
As of Thursday morning, June 25, $3,715 of the duo’s $5,000 goal had been raised.
Funds collected will go to the ALS Society of BC helping to provide direct support to patients, their families and caregivers through its services including an equipment loan program, raising funds for patient services and research and increasing public awareness and understanding of ALS.
ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a fat neurodegnerative disorder that affects the person’s moto neurons that carry messages to the muscles resulting in weakness in arms, legs, mouth, throat and elsewhere. Typically, the person is immobilized within two to five years of the initial diagnosis.
There is no known cause or cure yet, but there is hope through the ALS Society of BC.
Donations can still be made online at www.golfathonforals.com, clicking on ‘Participating Courses’ and then the Williams Lake Golf and Tennis Club. They can also be made in person at the WLGTC pro shop.
greg.sabatino@wltribune.com
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