Enji-Maawinjidryaang Indigenous Friendship Centre holds inaugural Golf Tournament

Stone Ridge Golf Course is a 6,800-yard course created by well-known golf course architect Ted Baker. Features include a panoramic vista of rock escarpments, the boreal forest, and Ryan Lake. Wetlands, mature vegetation, and dramatic elevation changes make this course a unique golfing experience. With the autumn colours coming into their peak, the course is especially beautiful at the time of the tournament. Stoneridge amenities include a pro shop, dining room, and a fully licensed clubhouse.

According to the Friendship Centre’s Interim Executive Director Elizabeth Richer, “This tournament is more than a game — it’s a gathering of people, cultures, and communities…It’s a chance to walk together in friendship, to support healing, and to take real steps toward meaningful reconciliation. We need teams to play, sponsors to stand with us, and community members to show up — because every swing, every sign, and every smile helps build a future rooted in respect, unity, and hope.”

With a ‘Shotgun’ start to the tournament, the action began at 10 am with teams showing their skills to elevate their game and ‘embrace the greens’ in pursuing their fairway freedom. Aside from registered teams, individual players were placed to make-up teams with some friendly people to play with, according to organizer Lee-Simpson Johnston, a Health Outreach Worker at the Friendship Centre.

Prizes for golfers include a $10,000 win for a hole-in-one donated by Northern Ford, a hot tub donated by Chief King Pools and Spa, as well as other sponsor prize donations. All prize donations were recognized during the event.

This event is not just a golf tournament — it’s a community coming together. The Friendship Center called on local teams, businesses, and organizations to come together for a day of fun, connection, and cultural celebration. All proceeds will support Indigenous-led programming in the region, including: Language restoration, Youth and children’s activities, Cultural awareness initiatives, and Family engagement events. This past summer, one of the many activities the centre put on was a Youth Golf Camp, which proved very popular.

Getting involved in what could become a classic Fall Gold Tournament is easy to do: set up a sponsorship or take a time out for a wonderful day of golfing in support of Enji-Maawinjidiyaang Indigenous Friendship Center and reconciliation.

“Reconciliation can take many different forms, one way is a great day out on the golf course building relationships with each other,” Johnston said recently. “We, as the Enji Maawinjidiyaang IFC would like to say Chi-Miigwech to everyone for their support of the first annual golf tournament.”