Vermilion Lions Club Charity Golf Tournament

The Vermilion Lions Club proudly hosted its 26th Annual Texas Scramble Golf Tournament at the Vermilion Golf and Country Club on June 6 at 1 p.m., bringing together golfers, sponsors, and supporters for a day dedicated to community and compassion.

This year, the Lions Club was thrilled to support not only the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) but also the Kids with Cancer Society, with the remainder of the proceeds earmarked for local Lions Club initiatives.

“This year we decided to split a portion of the proceeds with the CNIB and the Kids with Cancer Society, while the remaining portion will be held back for local projects the Lions Club may support,” said Lions member Pat Calyniuk. “I am happy to announce that the equipment for the first-ever toddlers’ playground has been ordered and will be ready by winter.”

Under partly cloudy skies, warm temperatures, and gusty winds, golf enthusiasts teed off in teams of four for the charity event. Participants competed in a variety of unique challenges, including a long blind drive for both men and women and the longest blindfolded putt. They also had the chance to win a $10,000 hole-in-one prize. Regardless of the outcome, every golfer went home with a prize.

Following the tournament, attendees enjoyed a delicious steak supper complete with all the trimmings. They also had the opportunity to experience simulated vision conditions—such as macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy—by trying on specialized glasses, offering insight into the daily challenges faced by individuals with sight loss.

One-third of the tournament’s proceeds will support CNIB programs across Alberta. These programs empower individuals living with blindness or sight loss to live more independently through the use of assistive technology and essential support services.

The event also benefited the Kids with Cancer Society, which will use the funds toward their 2025 “Camp Beat It!”—an annual retreat for families affected by childhood cancer. The camp provides a weekend of connection, comfort, and joy, where children can just be kids and families can find a community of support. The Society offers unique, vital programs and services free of charge to children with cancer and their families across Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories.

Among the attendees was a local family who has been directly impacted by the support of the Kids with Cancer Society: Laura Wich and her daughter, Janine, from just south of Lloydminster. Janine, now 10, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in July 2021 at the age of six.

“Early in July of 2021 our life took a drastic shift. Janine complained that her legs hurt, then came the intermittent fevers. We spent two weeks locally in and out of our family doctor, the ER and whatever specialist we could get to in Lloyd. Then we drove up to the Stollery ER and received the news that Janine had Leukemia. I’ve watched enough TV dramas to know when a young doctor says ‘My attending is coming to talk to you,’ it wasn’t going to be great news,” said Janine’s mom, Laura.

Laura spoke elegantly about their journey since Janine’s diagnosis and attended the golf tournament to express her deep gratitude to the Kids with Cancer Society.

“It warms my heart that you have chosen them to support through this golf day. I’m a little blurry about what happened during the first week at the Stollery, but the Kids With Cancer Society was there and helping our family and every family on that ward in the most real ways. We were immediately gifted a rolling backpack stuffed with practical things that a family could need when they are away from home and going through a lifechanging experience…COVID was still a hard presence when Janine was admitted. And being isolated was especially hard for an outgoing 6 year old, but the care teams at the Stollery continuously brought activities provided by Kids With Cancer Society to help keep her busy and maintain her spirits,” explained Laura.

She continued to praise the society and explain all the ways they made their journey more bearable.

“Every kid on the oncology ward gets a poke prize donated by Kids With Cancer. The effects of cancer are felt on the whole family and Kids With Cancer recognizes that. Janine’s brother gets a card and gift certificate for Chapters every year on National Siblings Day, and there are counseling services available for the whole family too, and they were offered over the phone and Zoom… there are so many programs running all through the year for the families of cancer kids. Going to the Kids With Cancer house has always been the highlight of Edmonton trips for Janine. Throughout the course of Janine’s treatment our parking was covered by the Kids With Cancer. When we had to stay in the city for two weeks for treatment, Kids With Cancer helped with the hotel bills as we weren’t safe to stay at the Papa Ken’s Cancer House or Ronald McDonald House as Janine had a cold and was contagious.”

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The program that made the biggest difference for Janine was the Cancer in the Classroom Program.

“Janine was diagnosed days after finishing Kindergarten, and spent the summer worried about returning to school. Cancer was hard enough for her to grasp, but she was terrified to explain it to a room full of kids who would look at her differently and as a young girl who was about to lose her hair returning to school brought on more stress than the diagnosis. Kids With Cancer has an amazing staff member Diane, who came out to Janine’s school and spent the morning with the kids, teacher and principal. She brought a doll that had the same central line port as Janine and explained to the kids using language they could understand. Diane taught them what Janine experienced at the hospital when she was so often absent from school, and how Janine’s appearance would change as the treatment continued, and many other practical ways to help her. What was most important about the Cancer In The Classroom Program was the confidence it gave Janine.”

The second program Laura wanted to highlight was the Bead Journey. Janine held in her little hands a three-foot string of beads—a tangible record of everything she has been through.

“It documents all the travel, the trips to the ER, the needles, every procedure in the OR and chemo dose, the hospital stays on isolation, but also the fun things… visits to the Kids With Cancer House, holidays, birthdays, removing her central line, the last day of chemo and even getting Janine’s best friend a beagle named Max,” shared Laura.

Janine is coming up on her second year of being off treatment, with three more to go until they can officially say “cancer-free.” Kids With Cancer continues to be there for Janine, her mom and dad, and her brother.

“There were some terrible times, but in truth it was the support of Kids With Cancer that made those terrible times better. Our story is just one family, the Kids With Cancer Society is supporting hundreds through Alberta and the Territories, the work they are doing makes every families’ worst nightmare more bearable. Our family is eternally grateful for The Kids With Cancer Society and organizations like the Lions Club that are supporting them,” said Laura.

More information on the programs offered by the Kids With Cancer Society can be found at https://www.kidswithcancer.ca

“We had an excellent turnout and we are very grateful for all the sponsors, and we are thankful to the community who participated. This year we raised a significant amount for the CNIB and the Kids with Cancer Society,” commented Cliff.