CHARITIES have been hit hard by COVID-19 but it isn’t going to stop the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay from holding its annual golf day in 2021.

The Rotary Club of Nelson Bay has waited patiently for 12 months to conduct its twenty ninth Annual Charity Golf Day.

The event was scheduled to be held at Nelson Bay Golf course in early April 2020 and was postponed due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

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After being postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions the club is excited that one year on the event now will be held on Friday 26 March 2021.

Port Stephens Council and Toyota Port Stephens are the major sponsors ensuring this event will proceed.

Many other local businesses have provided financial and other support, plus entered teams to play on the day.

Rotary Club Director and Charity Golf Day organiser, Arja Levonpera, has done an outstanding job coordinating sponsors, players and activities.

Ms Levonpera told News Of The Area, “Without the loyal support of both sponsors and players, plus Rotary Club members and volunteers on the day, the event would simply not occur.

“The Rotary Club of Nelson Bay is currently celebrating 65 years of serving the local community.

“With the club’s charity golf days giving $250,000 back to the local community.”

While many local businesses are still doing it tough, Ms Levonpera stated their unwavering loyalty to the Rotary Club was reward in itself and urged local residents to support local businesses.

Port Stephens Council Mayor Ryan Palmer, a strong supporter of this event, said Council recognised the great community work carried out by Rotary and other community organisations, especially in the past 12 months where fund raising projects have been curtailed through Covid-19 restrictions.

Mayor Palmer said a small investment to Rotary for this event will see a greater return to the community through projects already supported by the Club.

Port Stephens Toyota has supplied a Toyota Yaris, valued at $26,000, as a major hole-in-one prize.

Manager Michelle Smith, stated that Port Stephens Toyota is a supporter of Rotary, and one of the principals of the Burton Family Group of companies, Norm Burton, a Rotarian at East Maitland, was recently awarded an Order of Australia Medal for his services to the community and Rotary.

Proceeds from this year’s Charity Golf Day will enable the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay to provide funds to HMRI (Hunter Medical Research Institute) for Associate Professor Kelvin Kong’s project for more efficient Indigenous ear diagnosis and many other Rotary community projects.

Professor Kong has had a long association with the Rotary Club of Nelson Bay which has already given $20,000 and a further $10,000 is needed to meet the Club’s initial commitment.

The Federal Government is also supporting Kelvin Kong’s important project.

Over 100 players have registered to play in the tournament, with some places still available.

It is a friendly day, with the Ambrose format providing opportunities for golfers of all abilities.

There are many great prizes on offer, plus auctions and meat raffles after the day’s play, where hamburgers and chips will be served in the Clubhouse.

For more details visit the Nelson Bay Rotary website www.rotarynelsonbay.org, or to book your place in the tournament visit trybooking.com/712593 or call Arja Levonpera on 0412 373 050 or arja.levonpera@gmail.com

By Marian SAMPSON