The tournament – an annual fundraiser of the Yarmouth Hospital Foundation – was held Friday, July 24, at the Yarmouth Links and saw 33 teams take part.
As is usually the case Shelley – who has lent his name to this annual cause – was both humble and gracious about his role in this annual fundraiser.
“I’m the one who’s thanking them, because sincerely, it’s a treat for me to come back here,” said Shelley, who moved to Yarmouth with his family when he was a teenager and always refers to Yarmouth as his hometown. “I was joking with someone that at some point they’re not going to want me to come back and I’m going to come back anyway, that’s how much I enjoy coming back here.
“And it’s not just the familiar faces that you see, but the numbers we’ve raised in this community, we should be really proud of that,” Shelley said. “The sponsors, the volunteers, the staff, the organizing committee, they do all the work and this is the reward – a fun day of golf.”
Shelley’s parents came from Edmonton to also take part in the tournament.
Leading into this year – the 11th year for the event – this golf tournament had already raised more than $325,000 through the years to help with the purchase of hospital equipment. The money raised this year is being directed towards the purchase of 16 new heart monitor defibrillators and other areas of need, such as infection control units. Shelley told the participants prior to the start of the tournament that he was especially pleased to see the defibrillators on the purchase list, calling them an important piece of life-saving equipment.
In addition to the golf itself, the event also featured a silent auction, breakfast and a closing reception.
This was the third consecutive year the golf tournament was held at the Yarmouth Links. Prior to that it had also been held at the courses in Pubnico and Clare, in addition to Yarmouth. Next year the event moves to the River Hills Golf and Country Club in Shelburne County.
Shelley said he is always thankful for the opportunity to give back to this area, which gave him so much growing up.
Shelley played with several NHL clubs before retiring in August 2013 and moving onto a career in broadcasting. One of the teams Shelley played with, the New York Rangers, holds special significance for another hockey player from Yarmouth and Shelley took the opportunity on Friday to wish that player well – that player being Ryan Graves of Yarmouth who is an NHL draft pick of the Rangers and hopes to one day play in the NHL.
“He’s got a bright future, he’s a great kid and he’s played a lot of playoff games in major junior hockey. That’s a big deal,” Shelley said. “He’s trending the right way and he seems like he has a great attitude.”
Added Shelley with a smile in acknowledging Graves’ participation in this fundraising golf tournament, and one held the previous day in Digby that helped raised money for the Clare-Digby Minor Hockey Association, “He’s had a great junior career and he’s now started the golf circuit.”
