Golfathon benefits ALS Society

Spallumcheen head pro Myles Johnson among many B.C. PGA golfers helping out in golf marathon

Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club head pro Myles Johnson will tee it up for charity again this month.

Johnson and partner, former Spall assistant Siegie Schreve, will be among PGA golf professionals taking part in the PGA of B.C. Golfathon for ALS this month.

Johnson and Schreve, now an employee with CIBC, will play from sunrise to sunset at Spall June 26 to raise funds for the ALS Society of B.C.’s Patient Services Fund.

“It’s a long, tiring day but not tiring one bit when you think what people with ALS go through,” said Johnson, who has participated in such golfathons before for charity.

“It’s a great event. It’s very well supported by our club members and guests.”

Golf pros at more than 35 courses throughout the province are taking part in such golfathons throughout June, as the month is officially recognized in B.C. as ALS Awareness Month.

ALS is a neurodegeneration having shared characteristics with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. It affects about two per 100,000 persons, but at any given time thare are about 4,000 people living with ALS in Canada, 400 in B.C.

The disease can hit anyone, at any time, regardless of age, gender or ethnic origin.

The average life expectancy after diagnosis is two-to-five years.

Donations to Johnson and Schreve can be made at the Spallumcheen pro shop or online at www.golfathonforals.com and go to golfers and courses to find the Spall pair.

Vernon Morning Star