Apex Invitational Golf Tournament

The Apex Invitational Golf Tournament saw a great turnout for its 43^rd edition just two weeks ago in Truro, NS. Over 100 golfers, their partners, family and friends came out for three fantastic days (and nights) of golf, sunshine, laughter and dancing.

Attendees were truly blessed with beautiful weather all weekend long, from the first tee-off Friday morning to the last grilled hamburger Sunday afternoon. The party actually kicked off on Thursday with the tournament practice round. This was followed by a new addition to the schedule of events—the Meet & Greet. For the first time, golfers and their spouses joined together at the T.A.A.C Grounds, just across from the Truro Golf Club, to mingle, enjoy some light refreshments and warm up for the days ahead.

Trevor Jordan took home the top prize as the overall winner at this year’s tournament. Entering Day 2, he found himself in 4^th place and two strokes back. It may have been nine years since he last won the Apex, but when you got it, you got it—and he pulled it off as if no time had passed! Heather Maxwell won the Women’s 18-hole, Tina Skier took the Women’s 9-hole title and Harold Thompson won the Men’s 9-hole.

The banquet on Saturday at the Best Western Glengarry Hotel brought a nice conclusion to the two-day tournament. Attendees enjoyed a chicken and roast beef buffet-style dinner, blessed by Apex co-founder Darrell Maxwell, before getting on with the evening’s speeches and prize and scholarship presentations.

There were eight scholarship recipients this year who will be heading off to various post-secondary schools across the country in the fall: Adele Beals (Dalhousie University), Greg Collins (Holland College), Tyren Desmond (Saint Mary’s University), Makiaya Ford (Western University), Patrick Jackson (Dalhousie AC), Haley Matthews (Dalhousie), Nikita Morris (Toronto Film School), and Keenan Sparks (Dalhousie). Makiaya Ford was also this year’s recipient of the Robbie Jones Memorial Bursary. Shakara Paris and Jessica Maxwell, both 2011 scholarship recipients, spoke on what receiving the money at that time did for them. Graduating from St. Francis Xavier University and Acadia University respectively last year, they are currently working in their individual fields and gaining new on-the-job experiences that will surely continue to push them forward in their careers.

Ralph Willis was the 2016 recipient of the Arthur Jordan Memorial Award, while Darrell Maxwell, as the low-scoring senior for the tournament, had the honour of receiving the No. 2 Construction Battalion trophy presented by George Borden, a retired Captain of the Canadian Forces.  Cap.t Ret’d George Borden attended the ceremony as a representative of the Black Battalion Centennial Committee and read a poem to the crowd commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Battalion. He didn’t leave before reminding the crowd that many among them were descendants of those who served as part of the unit.

Ardith Jordan-Simmonds put together a beautiful golf-themed basket and raffled it off selling $800 in tickets Friday and Saturday. She donated all proceeds to the Apex Invitational Golf Association Scholarship Fund.

Scotiabank was also on hand selling raffle tickets during the banquet. Funds raised went directly to the Scholarship Fund. The bank vowed to match all donations gathered over the weekend up to $5,000 and they left writing a cheque for the full amount. The Committee would like to thank the community for their support!

Lance Sparks DJ’d both the Friday and Saturday night dances.  Generations took to the legion and Best Western floors to whip, wobble and slide.

The Young Guns did it again at the Charles “Snooky” Tynes Annual Memorial Softball Game with a 9-1 defeat over the Old Timers. And the barbecue that followed on West Prince had crowds gathered one last time to recap the weekend’s festivities while enjoying complimentary hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks and sweets.

Though an unofficial Apex event, it wouldn’t be a true recap without mentioning Karaoke at the Engine Room. Put on every year, the Sunday night of Apex weekend, since 2000 by Jamie Paris in honour of his late mother, Kimber Lee Paris, Jamie uses the event as an opportunity to give back. He sells 50/50 tickets and donates proceeds from that and entrance cover to the Apex Scholarship Fund—this year he raised $1,251! Karaoke is always a mellow way to conclude the weekend celebrations, but also ensures Apex ends with one last hoorah!