Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Fun, Games & A Whole Lot More




I've been on the committee of the Guelph Wish Fund for Children Golf Tournament for 10 years. This annual fund-raiser was held here at Victoria Park East last Saturday (July 9th), and as usual, it was a well-attended and fun day.

It was the 24th tournament, and it also marked the final one (as a golf committee member) for Guelph Wish Fund co-founder Ron Asselstine, pictured here with his wife Wendy.

Many of you are familiar with Ron as an NHL linesman. Ron "Bear" Asseslstine worked the line in the NHL from 1986 until 1997. He founded the Wish Fund (actually, it started as the Make-a-Wish Guelph) with the late Guelph journalist Al Ferris in 1984. Together, they grew the Fund into what it is today: a local organization that grants "wishes" to children who are critically ill, require long-term medical care, or are in need of specialized medical treatment. The Guelph Wish Fund is now administered by a board of directors, and handles all of it's own fund-raising initiatives - the annual golf tournament being a key one. Ron officially retired from the Wish Fund last December, and I'm hard-pressed to think of anyone more deserving of a healthy and happy retirement.

Our community is lucky to have Ron, Wendy, and all of the Wish Fund volunteers and committee members. They've brought a measure of happiness to so many children and their families throughout the years. And they've never taken a penny for themselves.
Golf Tournament Committee (left to right) Peter Baldasso, John DeCorso, Ron Asselstine, Barry Scutt, Al Bevan-Stewart, Barry Fowler, and Mark Dalbello