(Posted 8:30 a.m., June 24)
Successful golf tournament comes to an end after 30 wonderful years
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online

A teary-eyed André Lacroix soaks up the applause during an extended standing ovation in his honour at the Lacroix Source For Sports Golf Tournament dinner Friday night. Fred SHerwin/Photo

It's been 30 years since Lacroix Source For Sports owner André Lacroix organized his first golf tournament to raise money for local charities.

The year was 1976 and charity golf tournaments were still somewhat of a novelty. As an avid golfer and a business man looking to give back to the community he loved so much, Lacroix thought a charity golf tournament would help him accomplish his goal.

Thirty years later he's raised close to $1 million for a laundry list of charities including the Montfort Hospital Foundation, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and spinal cord research.

But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end sooner or later, and on Friday 320 golfers teed off for the 30th and final Lacroix Source For Sports Golf Tournament at the Outaouais Golf and Country Club in Rockland under a brilliant blue sky and absolutely perfect weather conditions.

Among the many participants was future NHLer Michael Blunden and the New Jersey Devils' newest head coach Claude Julien who made good on his promise to be there despite the fact that the NHL draft was being held the following day in Vancouver. In fact, Julien has been at every tournament except for the first three or four.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything. For me, it's the one time when I can come back to Ottawa and see all my old friends -- people I grew up with, people I went to school with -- I'm going to miss it a lot," said Julien.

It's was a sentiment that was shared by all 320 golfers as well as friends of Lacroix's and his family who were present at the dinner and award presentations held later in the evening.

Mixed in with the usually formalities were several presentations to Lacroix including a weekend in Mont Tremblant and a version of the song "My Way". The highlight of the evening was an extended standing ovation that brought him to tears.

New Jersey head coach Claude Julien, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles assistant coach Guy Lalonde and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Michael Blunden join André Lacroix in giving the thumbs up to mark the 30th and final Lacroix Source For Sports Golf Tournament. Fred Sherwin/Photo

Lacroix wanted to end the tournament 10 years ago, but his desire to give back to the community and the level of support he received from the sponsors, his staff and especially the participants wouldn't let him so he continued on even after he battled cancer in 2002.

"I wanted to finish on a high note and this year I met my goal to raise $100,000 for the Montfort, so now it's somebody else's turn. I've done my part," said Lacroix.

One of the main reasons the tournament has been so successful has been the work of the many volunteers who help take care of the little things, but most important of all is Lyne Vigneux who has been helping to organize the tournament since she first started working at Lacroix Source For Sports 10 or 15 years ago.

"Oh my goodness, without her forget about it. She is the kingpin, especially in here with the dinner and everything. She is the best," said Lacroix.

As stated earlier, this year's tournament raised over $35,000. The winners at 11-under were Pierre Bernard, Bernie Sanscartier, Kevin Scarff and Outaouais GM Marc Gelinas who managed to beat perennial winner Willie Walker and his foursome by a stroke.

Team captain Pierre Bernard said the secret was to have two OK players, an "A" player and one player who was no good at all.

"I don't want to name any names but we needed someone to buy the drinks," said Bernard, tongue planted firmly in cheek. "Seriously though, it was a lot of fun. We had four birdies on the front nine and seven coming home."

Other awards were handed out for closest to the pin, longest putt and longest drive. But the biggest award of all went to the Montfort Hospital and the various other charities and individuals which not only benefited from this year's event, but the 29 previous tournaments for which they owe Andy Lacroix a tremendous debt of gratitude.

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