Women's Opening 2024 Event
I have taken a selection of pictures from the gallery Stephen Rea sent us. Below is the link to the entire gallery for you to view. I will post this link in the handy links section as well.
2024 Woman of Excellence
Gloria's Speech from Women's Opening
Val was born and raised in Niagara Falls. She joined The Club at North Halton as Val Mountford in 1981 so she could chase Don Ferguson around the golf course. He was a fast little fella and it took her 9 years to catch up to him and they wed in 1990.
I have known Val for 39 years and we have played together many, many times in Club Championships, Solheims and Tuesday games. She always plays fair and by the rules.
She carries a retro putter over 50 years! But it works! And it was working today on the course. Val herself while not retro would be in the vintage category. If you look vintage up some alternate words would be: mature, ripe, classic and old. But as wine drinkers know, some vintages are better than others.
As a volunteer Val's list is lengthy:
- Last President in 2005 of the Women’s Section.
- Women’s Captain in 2006/07/08.
- Business Women’s Co-Captain for over 10 years.
- Invitational Committee Convenor for 3 years. During those 3 years as Convenor she was the top Angel in a Heaven theme (a bit of a stretch), a Ringmaster for a Circus theme (I can see that) and Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.
- She has served on the Club’s Greens & Fairways Committee.
- And Co-Chair of the Mixed Committee with Don for a number of years.
Her competitive record is just as impressive:
- A flight champion in 1998, 2007/08/09/10/13.
- B flight champion in 1992/94.
- Senior A flight champion 2015/17/18/20/21
- Doubles Champion (with Leslie Cutter)
- Langdon Champion with Don
- Val has always been a big participant in the Women’s and Mixed events and has played in every Solheim being a Captain one year.
- A regular participant in interclubs and member/guests.
- She has had 3 holes in one!
- Val has also competed outside the club in Provincial championships and the Toronto Star Amateur.
- An avid curler for over 10 years at North Halton winning many events.
- Outside the Club Val has given her time to volunteering for the Heart and Stroke Society and as a marker for 3 years at the Canadian Open.
I am not aware of anyone else who has given as much time volunteering and competing as Val and is so deserving of this award.
Let’s have a big hand for the 2024 Woman of Excellence, Val Ferguson!
Presenter: Gloria Sinclair