TravelManagers recently held its third annual charity golf day at the Mornington Golf Club on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. The event raised just over $10,000 support of Samuel and Connie Johnson‘s charity Love Your Sister.
The Johnson siblings founded Love Your Sister in support of breast cancer research. Connie is 35 years old and has terminal cancer. Samuel has a goal to raise ten million dollars to support the funding of the Connie Johnson Breast Cancer laboratory at the Garvan Research Foundation and general cancer research.
TravelManagers’ Kellie Browning, business partnership manager for Victoria, has organised the charity event from its inception and was thrilled with the funds raised at this year’s event.
“The funds raised from the day well and truly exceeded all expectations – our last years’ donation was $4,350 to Cancer Council which we thought was fantastic. To raise over $10,000 this year is simply incredible.”
Personal travel managers, their clients, preferred suppliers and the national partnership office team all participated in the golf day.
“We are so lucky to have such a supportive TravelManagers family and strong relationships with partner suppliers who were happy to support and raise money for a great cause. Unfortunately cancer touches so many lives, everyone knows someone who has been affected by cancer. It was such an amazing day, full of emotion as this event provided a way for everybody to feel that they were able to give something back and also have fun networking with clients, suppliers, colleagues and family and friends,” said Browning.
The tournament consisted of teams of four (76 in total) playing an Ambrose round over 18 holes.
The players were mainly from Victoria, along with a national partnership office team and PTM golfing enthusiasts Ken Simpson, representative from Caloundra in Queensland, and Neil Saunders, representative from Glengowrie in South Australia, who again took part.
“The TravelManagers golf day is such a highlight and something I genuinely look forward to each year. Playing a good game of golf is appealing but it’s the opportunity to chat to our local industry suppliers and spend quality time with clients in a relaxed and informal setting that I find most enjoyable. Raising significant funds to an extremely worthwhile charity is just the icing on the cake,” said Saunders.
Allianz Global Assistance sponsored the egg and bacon breakfast rolls, which were a hit, especially for the early 9am shotgun starters.
PTMs Carolyn Pitt, Andrea Friend, Naomi Liss and Luky Wilson manning the ‘betting hole’
Members from the national partnership office, Victorian PTMs and Melanie Whyte (from Tasmania) spent the day supporting the sponsored holes, driving golf carts selling refreshments and raffle tickets. In addition there was a betting hole on the 10th hole with four to one odds, a swear jar at every drinks station and Chirping Bird Winery again provided wine tasting. All funds raised went directly to the charity.
“For something new this year we included breakfast and lunch into the ticket price and catered refreshment stations on four supplier sponsored holes where players could buy water, soft drink, beer and champagne. This created a great opportunity for suppliers to network with PTMs and their clients and I think the refreshments really helped to improve some players’ games,” said Browning.
Johnson was involved in the prize draws and drew out the name of an extremely deserving winner of the major prize raffle, a trip for two to London courtesy of Royal Brunei.
“Chris Pasin was planning to play in one of the golf teams but unfortunately he had to withdraw as the week before he himself was diagnosed with cancer. Chris, on medication and attached to an IV drip managed to come for a short time, where he had the chance to chat to Samuel. Chris had already left when Samuel pulled out his winning raffle ticket but Samuel was able to relay his story and there simply wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Everyone thought Chris was a truly deserving winner,” said Browning.
Along with prizes for first and second in the competition, sponsors also provided prizes for raffles and in categories that included nearest the pin, straightest drive and longest drive.
Sponsors include Garuda Indonesia, Driveaway Holidays, Nexus Holidays, Amadeus, Allianz Global Assistance, APT Luxury Touring & Cruising, Insider Journeys, Lufthansa Group, Sunlover Holidays, Cox and Kings, Short Stays, Collette Tours, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Silversea, Drummond Golf, Fiji Tourism, Chirping Bird Winery, Royal Brunei Airlines, Jetstar Airlines, Parker Travel Collection, Parkroyal Melbourne Airport Hotel, Mornington Golf Club, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Holland America Line, On the Go Tours and Wild Earth Travel.
Top image: First place winners (L-R): Wolfgang Wicher, PTM Mark Devers, Samuel Johnson (Love Your Sister), George Lowrie, Ben Taplin
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