Summer Street launches campaign for 30th annual Golf Scramble

NEW GLASGOW – Plans are currently underway for the 30th annual Summer Street Golf Scramble.

The fundraising campaign – Summer Street’s major fundraiser – was officially launched during a celebratory gathering last week at Summer Street. It will take place September 20 at the Abercrombie Golf and Country Club.

“This event has been a beloved tradition in our community for three decades and we couldn’t be more excited to share this milestone with all of you,” said Rae Gunn, the 2024 co-chair of the Golf Scramble Organizing Committee and director on the Summer Street Foundation Board, in addressing the gathering.

“We have teams returning year after year and we even have teams that are generational – parents golfing with their kids, and their kids are now starting with their own teams, so this is really exciting to see.”

Bob Bennett, executive director of Summer Street, elaborated on the significance of the golf scramble, emphasizing its role in creating opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities. “The Summer Street Golf Scramble is one of Canada’s most successful and long-standing charity golf tournaments, playing a pivotal role in creating and facilitating opportunities for people with diverse opportunities.” 

Other charitable golf events across Nova Scotia are not getting the same positive results as the Summer Street event, Bennett said. “Pictou County is very special that way.”

He praised, “Since its inception in 1994, the Scramble has raised over $4.5 million, thanks to the generous support of our community champions. That’s 4.5 million that most of us in this room would not have had the benefit of being able to put into programs and services or capital investments. Basically, all of the cool stuff that we do here at Summer Street is supported through our foundation, and our only fundraiser is the golf scramble. We only run one because it’s very successful.”

The Summer Street Scramble also invites charities to come in and be at the golf scramble under its banner of Community Champions. 

“From our way of looking at it the people going around the golf course will have an opportunity to spend a few minutes with other charities they may not have been previously exposed to, and a relationship could start there; it could be a future donor, it could be a future board member, it could be a future volunteer – you just don’t know. We do that because we believe in a community of champions – and that’s the language you, as participants, gave to us. A community of champions is everybody in the community feeling like a part of it.”

While the scramble is still three months away, Bennett said already this year the number of teams wanting to participate far exceeds what organizers are used to. “That’s a nice problem to have.”

He named some longstanding supporters: CIBC Wood Gundy, CF Construction, Eastern Tire Services, Kinsmen Club of New Glasgow, MacGillivray Fuels – “there’s just so many and they’re around every year. It makes a big difference and we can always count on them.”

Bennett continued, “We owe a tremendous thank you to the people that started this in the beginning and some of these people are in this room.” He specifically mentioned Red MacKean who was on the hiring committee decades ago when Bennett applied for the job. “For those who don’t know, Red actually hired me and he tells me that he figured that I wouldn’t last three or four months,” he chuckled. 

MacKean helped organize and golf in the very first Summer Street Scramble 29 years ago that succeeded in raising $8,300. The Scramble has continued to grow exponentially every year. He said he continues to support it year after year because, “It’s a fun way to raise money for an important organization.”

Acknowledging the vital support from sponsors and partners, Gunn extended gratitude to long standing sponsors Lawton’s, Sobey’s, MacDonald Murphy and the Abercrombie Golf and Country Club for their continuous support in making the event possible. 

“That generosity and commitment is the cornerstone of the success of the event,” Gunn lauded. “And all of these partnerships are instrumental to our success.”

In speaking of the prizes that are up for grabs, Gunn also announced a change in one of them. “This year we are renaming of the highest percentage increase award after our long-time supporter and former committee chair and board member, the late Ray Wagg. Ray had generous spirit and dedication to the event and left a mark on the Summer Street Scramble. He had enthusiasm for the planning and participating, and it was infectious. He truly enjoyed every aspect of the event.”

Tracy Hermillon, a representative from the Summer Street Participant Council, shared her perspective on the significance of the golf scramble. “The opportunities and benefits we gain from the programs and activities at Summer Street are huge. The Golf Scramble is a celebration; it’s a chance to connect, grow and be a part of something bigger.”

Gunn said the theme for the 30th annual Summer Street Scramble is, The Future is So Bright. “It reflects our aspiration for what the future holds for our participants.” 

NEW GLASGOW – Plans are currently underway for the 30th annual Summer Street Golf Scramble.

The fundraising campaign – Summer Street’s major fundraiser – was officially launched during a celebratory gathering last week at Summer Street. It will take place September 20 at the Abercrombie Golf and Country Club.

“This event has been a beloved tradition in our community for three decades and we couldn’t be more excited to share this milestone with all of you,” said Rae Gunn, the 2024 co-chair of the Golf Scramble Organizing Committee and director on the Summer Street Foundation Board, in addressing the gathering.

“We have teams returning year after year and we even have teams that are generational – parents golfing with their kids, and their kids are now starting with their own teams, so this is really exciting to see.”

Bob Bennett, executive director of Summer Street, elaborated on the significance of the golf scramble, emphasizing its role in creating opportunities for individuals with diverse abilities. “The Summer Street Golf Scramble is one of Canada’s most successful and long-standing charity golf tournaments, playing a pivotal role in creating and facilitating opportunities for people with diverse opportunities.” 

Other charitable golf events across Nova Scotia are not getting the same positive results as the Summer Street event, Bennett said. “Pictou County is very special that way.”

He praised, “Since its inception in 1994, the Scramble has raised over $4.5 million, thanks to the generous support of our community champions. That’s 4.5 million that most of us in this room would not have had the benefit of being able to put into programs and services or capital investments. Basically, all of the cool stuff that we do here at Summer Street is supported through our foundation, and our only fundraiser is the golf scramble. We only run one because it’s very successful.”

The Summer Street Scramble also invites charities to come in and be at the golf scramble under its banner of Community Champions. 

“From our way of looking at it the people going around the golf course will have an opportunity to spend a few minutes with other charities they may not have been previously exposed to, and a relationship could start there; it could be a future donor, it could be a future board member, it could be a future volunteer – you just don’t know. We do that because we believe in a community of champions – and that’s the language you, as participants, gave to us. A community of champions is everybody in the community feeling like a part of it.”

While the scramble is still three months away, Bennett said already this year the number of teams wanting to participate far exceeds what organizers are used to. “That’s a nice problem to have.”

He named some longstanding supporters: CIBC Wood Gundy, CF Construction, Eastern Tire Services, Kinsmen Club of New Glasgow, MacGillivray Fuels – “there’s just so many and they’re around every year. It makes a big difference and we can always count on them.”

Bennett continued, “We owe a tremendous thank you to the people that started this in the beginning and some of these people are in this room.” He specifically mentioned Red MacKean who was on the hiring committee decades ago when Bennett applied for the job. “For those who don’t know, Red actually hired me and he tells me that he figured that I wouldn’t last three or four months,” he chuckled. 

MacKean helped organize and golf in the very first Summer Street Scramble 29 years ago that succeeded in raising $8,300. The Scramble has continued to grow exponentially every year. He said he continues to support it year after year because, “It’s a fun way to raise money for an important organization.”

Acknowledging the vital support from sponsors and partners, Gunn extended gratitude to long standing sponsors Lawton’s, Sobey’s, MacDonald Murphy and the Abercrombie Golf and Country Club for their continuous support in making the event possible. 

“That generosity and commitment is the cornerstone of the success of the event,” Gunn lauded. “And all of these partnerships are instrumental to our success.”

In speaking of the prizes that are up for grabs, Gunn also announced a change in one of them. “This year we are renaming of the highest percentage increase award after our long-time supporter and former committee chair and board member, the late Ray Wagg. Ray had generous spirit and dedication to the event and left a mark on the Summer Street Scramble. He had enthusiasm for the planning and participating, and it was infectious. He truly enjoyed every aspect of the event.”

Tracy Hermillon, a representative from the Summer Street Participant Council, shared her perspective on the significance of the golf scramble. “The opportunities and benefits we gain from the programs and activities at Summer Street are huge. The Golf Scramble is a celebration; it’s a chance to connect, grow and be a part of something bigger.”

Gunn said the theme for the 30th annual Summer Street Scramble is, The Future is So Bright. “It reflects our aspiration for what the future holds for our participants.” 

Tune in to Summer Street’s Facebook page as they count down to the anticipated event, sharing updates, stories and successes from the last three decades. For more information or to donate visit www.summerstreet.ca.

Tune in to Summer Street’s Facebook page as they count down to the anticipated event, sharing updates, stories and successes from the last three decades. For more information or to donate visit www.summerstreet.ca.