The Humboldt Broncos Memorial Golf Tournament continues to make an impact well beyond the golf course.
This past weekend marked the ninth edition of the tournament, which raises funds for local organizations and groups while providing an opportunity for people to gather, reconnect and remember.
The event is organized by Bryan Munz, Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar and Laurie Warford.
Community support
Bednar credits the community involvement for helping make the tournament what it is today.
“It’s pretty impressive the support that we’ve gotten from the community, businesses, individuals from Humboldt, from around Saskatchewan,” he said.
“We’re really excited to be still going strong and back every year and getting a chance to reconnect with, you know, friends and loved ones and try to make it a great, relaxing weekend to golf.”
Munz added that the behind-the-scenes work makes a huge difference.
“Our volunteers really behind the scenes are the ones that, you know, make it happen for the three of us, for sure.”
Warford also acknowledged the contributions from those who help make the event possible.
“I just want to really thank all our sponsors and people that contribute to this event because they’re really what makes it such a success each year.”
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A weekend of remembrance
For Bednar, returning to Humboldt and reconnecting with old friends is a big part of the weekend.
“It’s a lot of fun, number one,” Bednar said. “Just myself getting back to Humboldt and reconnecting with people that I knew from my childhood, high school days and then guys that I played with here with the Broncos. There’s a bunch of guys coming back for that.”
“It’s been a lot of fun, I think, first and foremost, and it’s a great weekend of remembrance of the team and the players that are gone and still with us, and we try to keep that in mind in everything that we do.”
The opportunity to return and give back to the community is especially important to Munz, as the tournament has raised nearly $1 million since its inception.
“That’s pretty cool for small-town Humboldt, Saskatchewan, to be able to have something like that where we honor the 29 people that were on the bus and, you know, it’s all about keeping their legacy alive.”
Giving back beyond hockey
The tournament’s donations aren’t limited to hockey. A number of organizations and initiatives throughout the region have benefited from the event, and Munz said it was important that the money reach a wide range of groups.
“Everybody that is involved in day-to-day life has been on a bus,” he said.
“I think that’s what hits home for whether it’s a school team or whether it’s a dance group or whether it’s corporate people that are going on a function. Everybody could have been on the bus that day.”
Munz said the tournament has been able to lend a helping hand to groups that reach out for assistance.
“Anybody that has really been able to reach out in the last nine years, I think we’ve been able to say yes to, and I think that’s a big part that we’re really proud of, is we haven’t had to say no to anybody.”
Another successful auction
This year’s event will generate even more funds, with a loaded auction featuring trips to sporting events and autographed jerseys from NHL players, including Macklin Celebrini, Cale Makar, Shea Weber, Logan Stankoven and Connor McDavid.
While the tournament continues to give back, Munz said remembering everyone affected by the tragedy remains at the heart of the event.
“Really what we look at, from a standpoint of being able to reach out to as many people as we can, because we’re sharing their legacies.”