Trinity Western Raises The Charity Bar for Students

Held at scenic Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club in Coquitlam, the tournament and banquet included keynote speakers and Olympians Ashleigh McIvor, Joannie Rochette and John Morris and four time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux.

(With files from Trinity Western University)

"It has been an unbelievable team effort and blessing to see this tournament grow over the last 16 years. We are truly thankful for the many corporate sponsors and donors that make this a continued growing reality", said ," said TWU tournament advisor, Steve Scholz. "It is a real privilege to be a part of something that directly impacts local university student lives and helps develop our leaders of tomorrow."

(TWU photo: Olympian Ashleigh McIvor)

"We simply could not have done it without the help of our Title Sponsor 'WirelessWave', Dave Hartman, who is the Vice President of Glentel Inc. - Operations, Retail Division and many of our major sponsors such as Samsung, Bell, Rogers Wireless, LG Electronics, RIM Blackberry, Gentec, Virgin Mobile, Graestone Ready Mix, Bosa Properties Inc. and Nokia."

TWU and Spartan Athletics blew past their fundraising goal to match or exceed last year's tournament. Trinity Western has increased the amount it has raised for student scholarships every year since the tournament's inception in 1994. The Department of Athletics took over organizing the tournament in 1998 and has increased the dollars raised from $30,000 to $336,000 in 2009. During its 16 year run the tournament has netted over $1,850,000.

(TWU photo: 4-time Stanley Cup winner Claude Lemieux)

In addition to a round of golf on a perfect setting at Westwood Plateau Golf & Country Club, participants went home with more than his or her value for the day in contest prizes, registration gifts and hole host gifts supplied by the many generous sponsors, including a notebook computer donated by Samsung Canada to each golfer.

The tournament also featured a silent auction during which included two round trips and game tickets to the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, autographed team Canada jerseys signed by all the 2010 men's and women's Olympic gold medal hockey teams, and signed jersey's from Wayne Gretzky, Alexander Ovechkin, Roberto Luongo, and Henrik and Daniel Sedin.

As official members of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), the Spartans have been competing in six sports in the Canada West division of the CIS: women's and men's soccer, volleyball and basketball, but have recently added men's and women's swimming, cross-country and middle distance track. This past season the Spartans captured Canada West silver medals in men's volleyball and bronze in men's soccer as well as the women's soccer team winning their second consecutive gold medal at the CIS championship.