From left, Harper, Erin, Chad and Olivia Little at the fifth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Classic September 16 at Saugeen Golf Club. This year’s tournament raised over $92,000.

Hub Staff

The fifth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Golf Classic saw a sea of golfers in purple attire enjoying the warm temperatures while raising over $92,000 for Cystinosis awareness and to find a cure.

The tournament was held at Saugeen Golf Club September 16 and the day was filled with not only fun but also education about the rare disease that afflicts Saugeen Shores resident, seven year old Olivia Little.

Golfers learned facts about Cystinosis while getting their daily vitamins and having their required amount of water. However, not every year is the same as the Littles like to tailor the event to not only educate on Olivia’s needs but also what the seven year old enjoys. Olivia enjoys horses and has begun lessons so golfers had to climb onto an artificial horse at one hole and tee-off from it. Olivia also enjoys stuffed-animals and has a “zoo” at her home. She graciously lent her animals to the course and the golfer who hit closest would win a prize.

Olivia’s mother, Erin Little, said another change to the tournament is the token prize that was granted. She joked that they were once thinking of giving away umbrellas to participants as the tournament usually brings rain but this year, the mother of two had a different idea.

“Normally we give our golfers a gift. In the past we’ve done water bottles and cooler bags; and everything we’ve given away is because it correlates to something with Olivia’s disease,” said Erin before the tournament. However, this year the family chose to donate $1,000 to the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation.

“As weird as it sounds for a charity to be giving to another charity... when we chose the hospital it’s because it’s in correlation with Livie (Olivia) because if it wasn't for our hospital Olivia wouldn't be alive. So when everything happened with Olivia back in 2011 it was the doctors here that kept her alive until she was medflight into London. So instead of giving somebody another prize that we all really don’t need, that sits in a drawer or closet, we decided to make the donation to the hospital so the gift comes from our 2017 golfers at the tournament.”

Executive Director of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation Sally Kidson was on hand and dressed in purple to receive the donation before the tournament’s ceremonial kick-off. A dinner and auction followed the tournament.

The annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Classic is the Liv-A-Little Foundation’s major fundraising event of the year, with approximately $95,000 being raised during the 2015 tournament and $110,000 in 2016.

Trevor Spencer (left), Kyle Atkinson, Peter Archer and Dave Falconer were dressed in some snazzy outfits for their golf game at the fifth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Classic September 16.

Kathryn Forsyth, Pauline Kelly and Catherine O’Hagan were wigging out at the fifth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Classic September 16.

The golfers surrounded Sally Kidson of the Saugeen Memorial Hospital Foundation with their donation of $1,000 before the tournament began.

As is tradition, Olivia Little, age 7, teed off to mark the official start of the Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Classic September 16.