It might be a century-old course but Springwood Country Club hasn't lost any vigour in supporting its local non-emergency public hospital. Despite COVID-19 restrictions on player numbers its Springwood Hospital Charity Golf Day in March raised $26,000, an even better result than last year., when $15,000 was raised to purchase three specialised beds.
The team behind the charity event - Jeff Donley, Peter Babbage, John Baker and Graham Wass - were continuing a half century of Springwood Country Club's active support for the community's fundraising in initially buying the land before the hospital was opened a little over forty years ago. Mr Wass thanked all of the 36 local business sponsors and the 111 players in the three ball Ambrose event.
Comp honours went to Kevin Bogart, Rob Bogart and Kurt Bogart with a score of 54.5; second was Paul Hameister, Ed Kitchener and Matt Lapsley and third was Scott Lister, Nathan Chapman and Josh Power. Special mention to Kev Etherington and his breakaway Eagle on the 4th making the day for his group.While the field was comprised of young and old, interestingly the major sponsor, Cubitt's, is a national building company with a dominant niche in granny flats and home extensions.
Funds raised will go to the refurbishment of the hospital's palliative care unit with the aim of making it more accessible to the garden and more family-friendly.
"Springwood Hospital is a public health facility which undertakes a lot of specialised "slow-stream" rehabilitation for older patients with results that see many being able to return to their homes and, desirably, granny flats, or being given a placement in aged accommodation," according to the hospital auxiliary. "It's a remarkable little 32-bed community hospital thanks to the staff and because of its quiet garden setting."