Chilliwack Entrepeneurs Using Golf For Business

The Sardis Secondary Hub International Barton Insurance Golf Open is an event that some 90 Sardis Secondary students have been working on since last October in an effort to raise at least $50,000 to go towards scholarships for future Sardis' grads.

This is entrepreneurialship at its finest; a group of teenagers, many who have never held a job before, creating an aggressive business plan with the potential of establishing a legacy that could last for years to come.

Courtesy of The Chilliwack Progress

By Katie Robinson
The Chilliwack Progress

A group of Sardis Secondary students have developed a plan that will hopefully support graduates to their school long into the future.

Sardis' Grade 12 entrepreneurship class is holding a golf tournament, in partnership with Hub International Barton Insurance, hoping to raise $50,000 to go towards scholarships for future Sardis' grads.

The Sardis Secondary Hub International Barton Insurance Golf Open is being held at the Chilliwack Golf and Country Club on Friday, May 8.

Ninety students, in total, have been working on the business venture since October, developing an 18-page business plan, posters for the event, as well as attracting sponsors and teams for participating in the event.

Quite the task for a bunch of 17-year-olds, some of whom haven't even worked their first jobs. But teacher Rod Ross is confident they'll pull it off.

"Personally, I think that we don't give enough responsibility to our young people," he said. "I wanted to give them that responsibility. I wanted them to experience the real thing, because if they can do it here, they can do it in the real world," he said.

"This is big stuff."

Students have solicited local businesses and organizations, going door-to-door, for team registrations and sponsorships ranging from $500 to $5,000. They've contacted the local media outlets for coverage; organized registrations; and organized 18 activities for each of the 18 holes.

Ross' role, basically, is just guidance.

This is the students' project, he said.

And at the end of it, "they're going to physically be able to say that they have the ability to plan events," when looking for employment, said Ross. "They're going to have a show-and-tell of stuff, and they're network of Chilliwack's business people, Chilliwack's community leaders is going to grow."

They're going to have a leg up on obtaining future employment in the business sector.

The project isn't just about boosting resumes, though, it's about supporting Chilliwack's graduates, Chilliwack's future. Like the business proposal says, it's "supporting our grads' dreams for the future."

"It's nice to know that we're going to be leaving something for the future grads of this school," said Grade 12 student Steven Kelly, co-project leader.

"If we can raise $50,000 for 50 kids going to school, that's pretty cool."

Fifty thousand dollars may sound like a large venture, but it's just small beginnings for Sardis secondary. The class is hoping the tournament will become an annual event that will one day benefit all Chilliwack grads.

The template is already in place, it's up to the students to keep it going.

"It's pretty exciting knowing that we are the first ones, that we built this," said Grade 12 student Brad Gear, co-project leader. "And I am hopeful that it does keep going, and that it does keep getting bigger."

"And who knows, maybe we'll own a business and be a sponsor and play in the tournament ourselves one day," added Kelly.

The tournament is able to accommodate 124 golfers, and includes a dinner, silent auction and live auction. Cost is $600 for a team of four, or $50 for dinner only.

Anyone interested in registering for the event, sponsoring the event, or donating items for the auctions can contact Rod Ross at 604-858-9424 or by email at rod_ross@sd33.bc.ca.

krobinson@theprogress.com