On Friday, July 16, 2021, a small group of 44 golfers gathered at the Midland Golf & Country Club for the second annual Captain’s Invitational Golf Tournament, raising more than $609,000 in support of Georgian Bay General Hospital (GBGH). Presented by Toronto-based Urbacon, and hosted by Glenn Howard, this incredible fundraising achievement is nearly double what the first tournament raised in 2020.
Urbacon Chairman, and tournament visionary, Marco Mancini, made a transformational $5-million gift to GBGH earlier this year, and his generosity inspired golfers and guests to make further impactful contributions through this tournament.
“It is my privilege to assist the Foundation to help make a difference in people’s lives. Over the 20 years my family has been in Georgian Bay, we have made several trips to GBGH. We are lucky to have this outstanding facility in our region,” said Mancini. “I am thrilled with the results of the Captain’s Invitational. Urbacon is in the business of building, but we are also committed to building better, stronger and healthier communities.”
The unique tournament brought together local supporters of Georgian Bay General Hospital, along with friends and business contacts of Mr. Mancini. The results are nothing short of inspiring, with individual donations ranging from $5,000 to $100,000.
“Marco’s generosity is simply incredible,” says Nicole Kraftscik, executive director, GBGH Foundation. “He has been a strong supporter of this community for many years through the Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament, the Glenn Howard Charity Golf Classic, and of course, through his remarkable $5-million gift which will transform the patient experience at GBGH. Marco’s unique ability to inspire those around him to give from the heart is what makes him such a powerful partner for the Foundation, and we are so grateful for his passionate support of GBGH.”
The funds raised will support the Foundation’s Impact Fund, which enables the hospital to address the highest priority equipment and technology needs, even if those needs change unexpectedly during the year. This year, the hospital must replace the entire Central Monitoring System for the ICU at a cost of $1.3-million; buy new defibrillators and crash carts ($300,000) to ensure the best response in emergency situations across the hospital; and continue to invest in bringing a completely digital patient record to GBGH.
“The mounting list of capital priorities for our aging hospital can be overwhelming,” says Gail Hunt, president & CEO, GBGH. “When you have an amazing community partner, like Marco – who continue giving so much back to our hospital – it gives us hope we can start addressing some of the larger projects like the Central Monitoring System. The generosity of everyone involved with the Captain’s Invitational Tournament will have a huge impact and we are truly thankful for their commitment to GBGH through this exceptional gift.”
