The WMC Foundation and Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, SEARHC, will be raising funds at this Saturday’s annual Rally for Cancer Care. The fun and quirky golfing event will be held at Muskeg Meadows, Wrangell’s golf course. Raised funds go towards healthcare scholarships and to support transporting Southeast Alaskans to cancer appointments. WMC used to stand for Wrangell Medical Center, but Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, SEARHC, took over the center years ago.
In its 19th year, golfers usually dress up, as in costume “dress up.” For example, in previous years people from the neighboring community, Petersburg, wore Norwegian style Viking type hats with horns. Janet Buness, vice president of the WMC board, encourages this year’s players to carry on with the tradition. She already knows some participants who are preparing.
“They’re wearing extremely large blow up red costumes,” she said. “Weird looking, but she showed me a picture of it. So wear some sort of costume if you’d like to, you don’t have to, but we’d be happy if you did.”
WMC Foundation history
The nonprofit organization started in 2005 and began the Cancer Care Program grant just a few years later-where it reimburses travel and lodging funds for cancer patients. A decade later it gave its first scholarship to a health care student.
The foundation serves people who live in the southern parts of Southeast Alaska with communities of less than 5,000 people.
In total, they gave out 18 scholarships to people who have graduated from Wrangell High School. They also gave grants from the Foundation for Cancer Care to about 200 recipients.
Wrangell resident Chris Ellis takes charge of the fun and frolic part for the fundraiser. She said the annual tournament began when some Muskeg Meadows female golfers wanted to do something to support cancer care.
“Over the years we’ve used it from golf to fun and frolic on the golf course with clubs and balls,” she said. “It actually will probably be easier for people who have never gone to play some of these games than it is for a regular golfer because they’ll have those preconceived notions of how you’re supposed to hit and play.”
Fun and frolic in the meadow
Though there will be a traditional golfing section of the tournament, it’s still not quite like a regular game.
“We have our traditional bucket hole, which is our long hole, where you start with your foot and a bucket,” Ellis said. “We have a round bucket and a square bucket because we have people from Petersburg and Wrangell and they’re bright pink. And it’s a lot of fun watching people sit there with a foot and a bucket trying to hit a golf ball.”
There’s other types of quirky games too, like the wiffle putt, with wiffle balls, and the “flock of ducks” where a flock of little rubber duckies are key to the game.
“It doesn’t matter how good you are,” Ellis said. “There’s going to be a lot of prizes.”
Even if it’s raining, the fundraiser will still go on.
“We are Southeast Alaskans and we don’t let a little thing like torrential rain stop us,” said Ellis.
Brings attention to breast health
Jacci Spry, SEARHC Medical Center’s imaging manager, said the fundraiser helps bring attention to breast health awareness and other cancers.
Spry said, “That also gives us an opportunity to talk to women about their breast health and try to help get them scheduled for their annual screening mammogram.”
She said that breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S., except for skin cancer. According to The National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths.
“You have to be extra tough to live in Southeast.”
On top of all the fun activities, the group even came up with an event sticker designed by one of Wrangell’s local artists, Jerrie Dee Harvey. Some of Wrangell’s stores will give discounts the day of if the sticker is presented to them.
“It’s Xtra Tuffs, because of course, you have to be extra tough to live in Southeast,” SEARHC’s Ultrasound Technician, Jenayle Meschnark, said as she described the sticker’s image. “The people here who are fighting cancer are extra tough. So we went the Xtra tufts. And then it’s got golf clubs in one of the boots. And then the other boot, it’s got some beautiful pink, it looks like carnations.”
Mayor Patty Gilbert, president of WMC Foundation, said last year they generated $20,000. It helped them sustain their efforts for the year.
Going back to the topic of golfing with a bucket on players’ feet, Gilbert said that they’ve reserved the square bucket for the neighboring community.
She said, “In the past, we forced Petersburg to use the square bucket because it was just very natural that they should use the square bucket,”
Gilbert said it’s very important that Wrangellites show up to the lawless event. It is, after all, about competition.
“This year we’re anticipating 42 women from Petersburg, so Wrangell gals, ladies, we’ve got to make a showing this year,” she said. “We cannot, I repeat, cannot let Petersburg outnumber us because they’ll take over.”
It’s roughly a three hour event that begins with honoring those who’ve battled cancer.
Although mostly women show up, the tournament is open to all genders and all ages. And no worries for the loners who might show up without a team, teams can be arranged then.
This year’s Rally for Cancer Care will be at Muskeg Meadows on Saturday. Registration begins at 9am and the event begins at 10am. Registration can be done at WMC Foundation’s website. There will also be a lunch at noon with pulled pork sandwiches, assorted salads and cupcakes. During that time, a silent auction and carnival-style games will be held. To-go orders can also be prepared.
For any questions, call Patty Gilbert at 907-305-0777. The cost to play is $35 which includes lunch. For just lunch it’s $20. To reserve a golf cart call 907-874-4653.
