The 16th annual Wilson M. Beck Charity Golf Tournament in Kelowna set a new fundraising benchmark this year, generating $206,582 for the YMCA of Southern Interior BC. The tournament, held July 20 at the Kelowna Golf & Country Club, attracted 144 golfers and a broad network of sponsors, prize donors and volunteers whose contributions came through both live and online auctions.
Funds remain local, organisers stress
Organisers emphasised that the money raised will be channelled through the YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program and will continue to serve Kelowna and the Southern Interior. The program helps remove financial barriers so children, youth and families can access YMCA services, including affordable child care, camp experiences, mental-health services, and health and wellness programming.
"Because of our community's generosity, more children can attend camp, more families can access affordable child care, and more individuals can access the supports they need to thrive," said Tammie Watson of the YMCA of Southern Interior BC.
Representatives from Wilson M. Beck Insurance Services, which has partnered with the YMCA on the tournament for a decade, noted the importance of keeping the funds local. "What continues to inspire us is knowing that every dollar raised stays local and provides upstream intervention and prevention services for children and families who might otherwise be left behind," said Steven Pavelich.
Event scale and outcomes
The tournament drew a field of 144 golfers and depended on donors and volunteers to reach the record total. Organisers say the sum surpasses the event’s fundraising goal and arrives as the YMCA marks two institutional milestones: 175 years of YMCA service in Canada and 45 years serving Kelowna and the Southern Interior.
- Total raised: $206,582
- Participants: 144 golfers
- Event: 16th annual Wilson M. Beck Charity Golf Tournament
- Venue: Kelowna Golf & Country Club
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fundraising total | $206,582 |
| Number of golfers | 144 |
| Anniversary markers | 175 years (Canada), 45 years (Kelowna & Southern Interior) |
Why this matters for Kelowna
The funds will be distributed locally through the YMCA’s Financial Assistance Program, which directly affects families needing financial support to participate in essential services. For Kelowna — a city balancing growth with the need for accessible community services — contributions to child care and mental-health programming aim to reduce barriers that can compound as the region grows.
Community fundraisers such as this one play a dual role: they generate immediate financial assistance and help maintain relationships between non-profit service providers, businesses and residents. The partnership between Wilson M. Beck Insurance Services and the YMCA, now into its tenth year, was singled out by organisers as an example of sustained civic collaboration that pays dividends for local social-service infrastructure.
Organisers say the money will remain in the community to support upstream interventions and prevention services targeted at children and families who may otherwise be excluded from programming because of cost. That local focus aligns with the YMCA’s stated mission and the tournament hosts’ stated aim to see measurable community benefit.
With the YMCA marking institutional milestones both nationally and in the Southern Interior, the record result in Kelowna is being framed as timely reinforcement of the organisation’s work in the region. The tournament’s organisers and partners said they are grateful to donors and volunteers whose efforts produced the highest total in the event’s history.
Further details about how and when the funds will be disbursed through the Financial Assistance Program were not provided at the event announcement.
