Taking a swing at barriers to overcoming adversity The Beacon Hall Golf Club’s annual tournament is an experience that has transformed the lives of many members, raised almost a million dollars, and has elevated golf within the Soldier On community. Since 2014, Beacon Hall Golf Club in Toronto has hosted an annual tournament for Soldier On, an experience that has transformed the lives of many members, raised almost a million dollars, and turned golf into the fastest growing sport within the Soldier On community. “What started as a desire to support our veterans by sending them to the home of golf - St Andrews, Scotland - for a week has far surpassed our expectations,” says Jim Mitchell, former Beacon Hall member and Soldier On Event Chairman. To date, the Beacon Hall event has attracted some amazing corporate sponsors such as TD insurance, MLSE, Tim Hortons, Bonnefield and many others. Their support has allowed the event to keep growing. It has also inspired a successful event in Moncton for the past three years, as well as many regional golf camps across the country, benefitting Soldier On members in every part of Canada. For retired Officer Cadet Mike Briggs, who participated in the Beacon Hall tournament in 2018, the experience proved transformative. “The week of training as well as meeting fellow Veterans was eye opening. The Beacon Hall Course was incredible and all the sponsors and participants were amazing to be around,” he recalls. The event fueled a lifelong love of golf in Briggs, as all as in many other members. “This movement has been so inspirational that mirrored events have been successfully executed across Canada to support Soldier On and golf has become the fastest growing sport within the Soldier On community,” says Jay Feyko, National Manager of Soldier On. While COVID-19 has resulted in a temporary postponement of the 2020 edition of the tournament, the event has become a staple on the Beacon Hall Annual Event Calendar for the last six years with annual revenues exceeding $150,000 and cumulatively $900,000 over its brief history. “While each story is different there is a common thread and that is ‘selfless service to Canada.’ Many have paid the ultimate price and thousands have been profoundly impacted by PTSD and/or physical injuries. Giving back to help those who stood tall for Canada has been a wonderful privilege for everyone associated with our events,” concludes Mitchell.