Broncos Memorial Committee (submitted photo/Becky Zimmer)

By Ben Tompkins

Humboldt Strong

Broncos host sixth annual memorial golf tournament

Aug 14, 2023 | 6:00 PM

For the sixth year in a row, hundreds of people gathered at the Humboldt Golf Club to honour and remember the lives of the 2017/18 Humboldt Broncos.

The sixth annual Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament (HBMGT) happened this past weekend and, as always, was a huge success.

“Well, once again, the event was a success,” said co-organizer Laurie Warford. “Everybody enjoyed themselves, even with the little downpour of rain, they still continued to do all their holes of golf and support the live auction and silent auctions, and we were able to continue to raise funds for our legacy awards program.”

The event included 18 holes of golf on Saturday for roughly 170 golfers, as every hole was sponsored, and the course was scattered with family members.

There was also a tee-off party on Friday before a pancake breakfast on Saturday morning which supported the Hope for Henry fund.

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Later that night, a banquet seated around 300 people for a meal, entertainment from comedian Kelly Taylor, as well as speeches, stories, raffles, a 50/50 draw, and multiple auctions.

One of the draws was for a custom memorial motorcycle, which ended up going to Jared Bednar the co-host of the HBMGT and Head Coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

“I’m not sure I can get through this story without crying,” Warford explained. “I literally went to the Canalta this morning and was telling somebody about Jared winning and I just broke down in tears because yeah, for Jared to win… that bike was just so meaningful.”

The event featured numerous sponsors, including those in the City of Humboldt and the surrounding area, along with companies all across the rest of Saskatchewan, Canada, and even the United States.

Warford added that every year it seems more and more people want to help and attend, making each year a little bit easier in more ways than one.

“It gets easier each year. It’s so nice when people come and approach us, asking what they can do to help next year. whether it’s sponsoring the event or just being part of it. I think the important thing with this event is to know that its purpose is to honour and pay respects to the lives lost, and to all those affected by the 2017/18 Humboldt Broncos bus crash,” she said.

An exact total of how much money was raised has yet to be figured out, however, it will be soon and Warford knows it’s always an amazing amount.

The money, time spent with the families, and multiple extracurricular activities such as Bednar visiting Archer Franklin at the Royal University Hospital Saskatoon and giving him a donation is everything the tournament represents according to Warford.

“That’s what it’s about, as long as they (the families) come back, whether they make it or not, we’re still gonna honour them,” she said. “We’re very grateful to the families and the survivors that can attend because it’s for them and all monies raised are in their honour, and we were lucky enough to make a couple of legacy monetary donations through the weekend as well.”

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