To my Friends and Family at Rideau View,

It has been 6 years since we decided to start the Rideau View Inspirational Golf Classic. When you start something like this with a group of people you look for guidance to help shape a path to a goal. To gain from others’ experience to help make your path easier. We sat with some folks at the Royal Ottawa Hospital and told them our idea. Their response was enthusiastic and greatly supportive of course. They also said a ‘good target’ for fundraising in year one for this tournament was $15,000. It didn’t come from a disparaging place by any means, they had just seen many other efforts in all the years they have been doing events and wanted us to set a goal that we could achieve. They knew that early success in fundraising is important for morale and the longevity of an event. Set “Something Achievable” was the message coming purely from a place of love and support.

We were slightly more bullish. We knew something they didn’t. We had the Inspirational Rideau View Members on our side. A closer knit, powerful, and determined group of philanthropic people you will never see the likes of anywhere else. If you are new to the club, you should do your research about this place. The very idea of Rideau View Golf Club came to fruition because generous families got together to support the cause of righting a wrong and creating a safe and happy place for their people to play a wonderful game with their friends and family.

As you know, unfortunately over the last few seasons, our Rideau View family has suffered many tragedies, and every time you see the love and support pour out to support everyone involved in each one of them. We do not all share the same background, heritage, sex, race, skin colour etc. But I feel like we are a family, and that Rideau View runs in our blood. And nobody comes to help family like the folks at The View. Because of that we decided instead to aim for $500,000 in 5 years. That was “Something Achievable”.

So, we started with over $100,000 for that first year. We made that goal, and under the parameters of what we have dealt with over the last six years, we have hit every goal we could feasibly set out for ourselves, (including raising over $80,000 in the two years during a Global Pandemic without even having an event). Am I surprised? Absolutely not. What I am is as proud of a group of people as a person could be to say we now sit at over $447,000 raised. All of you have helped us get here, and this is the year we get to that $500,000 goal for Dr. Zach Kaminsky’s suicide prevention research at the Royal Ottawa Hospital. I would love for all of you to be there when it happens.

The 2023 Inspirational Golf Tournament on Monday, Sep 11th, is dedicated to the memory of Jamie Hubley. Jamie died by suicide at the age of 15 after years of bullying which led to depression and severe mental health challenges. Jamie was an award-winning figure skater and was beginning to be recognized as a singer who just wanted to help make others happy. By supporting the suicide prevention research at The Royal, you will help prevent other families - and maybe your own - from experiencing the tragic loss of a family member. We are pulling Allan and Wendy Hubley into the Rideau View family so please show them your support.

To register for the 2023 Rideau View Inspirational Golf Classic or get more information regarding the tournament, go to: https://theinspirational.golf/

If you are unable to participate in the tournament but wish to support the cause, you can donate directly at: http://www.theroyal.ca/inspirational We are also looking for high value live and silent auction prizes as well as hoping everyone continues to support the efforts every Friday at the club for Floral Friday!

Thank you sincerely for considering,

Robert Hill
Robert@canadianFG.ca