Left to right, Chad, Olivia, Harper and Erin Little at the fourth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for Liv-A-Little Foundation, at Saugeen Golf Club, September 10.

Megan Dunn, Saugeen Shores Hub

A whopping $110,000 was raised over the weekend at the fourth annual Swing, Shoot, and Liv Golf Tournament, September 10, at Saugeen Golf Club.

Forty teams came together despite a rainy day to support six-year-old Olivia Little’s battle with Cystinosis to play golf and participate in an auction as well as a fashion show with Olivia’s friends and family members donning purple tutus that then went to the highest bidder and happened to be a perfect fit for the golfers.

Steven Bell worked his Tutu at the Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Tournament, September 10.

After the ceremonious drive by Olivia and little sister Harper, participants, many of whom were dressed in Olivia’s favourite colour - purple - were off to not only play golf but to learn something new at each hole.

“We educate our golfers and encourage them to have fun on the course. They learn facts about what it’s like to be Olivia, from getting their daily dose of ‘vitamins’, to learning Olivia drinks about 7,000 ounces of water a month,” said Olivia’s mother and Liv-A-Little Foundation President, Erin Little.

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

Apart from the thousands being raised that will go towards finding a cure for Cystinosis, the best part of the day for Erin was spending time with the Campbell family from Wallaceburg, Ontario, and introducing them to the participants.

Erin and Katelyn Campbell were introduced this past spring through doctors as Katelyn’s son, Alan, now age 3, had been diagnosed with Cystinosis. “It takes a lot of courage to be open to exposing yourself to hundreds of strangers and talking about the rare disease your child has and the impact it had made on their lives,” said Erin, adding “they are friends we wish would have never met.”

Alan, who was a ham in front of the cameras, was a bright spot on a damp day. The families met during a mutual stay at the Ronald McDonald House in London, and Katelyn said Erin as well as Chad Little, Olivia’s father, have given her hope as a mother and, following Erin’s lead and learning some new tricks, her son Alan stopped getting sick as often as he was. “He’s doing so much better,” said Katelyn.

“We actually just said last night, ‘I can’t imagine what life would have been like without having Erin and Chad to talk to,’ because they've been incredible,” Katelyn said. She noted that Cystinosis is so rare that her family doctor and paediatricians had never heard of it.

Katelyn added that having someone to talk to, “on your own level, who has been there,” has given her hope and made things easier. “It’s hard to be down or feel sorry for yourself when you talk to Erin, she’s very positive.”

From purple bows that decorate the town during Liv-A-Little’s annual “Paint the Town Purple” campaign, to local grass root donations, to the attendance at their annual golf tournament, Erin and Chad Little are grateful.

“Grateful for everyone who shows up from near and far, to be a part of the golf tournament. The room was filled with many strangers, well they were once strangers but now they are part of ‘Team Cure Cystinosis’, and I ensured them all last night that they are officially stuck with us,” Erin said following the tournament.

For information about Cystinosis or the Liv-A-Little Foundation, visit livalittlefoundation.com.

Purple tutus were auctioned off to the highest bidder, at the Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Tournament September 10 at Saugeen Golf Club.

On the left, Olivia’s grandmother Dianne Little (right) along with her neighbour Sharon Fabian, sold raffle tickets for an iPad Mini, sponsored by CTSNA; and a wagon which came equipped with 50 bottles of wine, sponsored by Mowbray’s Canadian Tire and Zambio Farms. On the right, Katelyn and Alan Campbell, at the Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Tournament, September 10.

Liam (left) and his father, Bruce Power Chief Financial Officer, Kevin Kelly got to ride in the decked out golf kart at the fourth annual Swing, Shoot and Liv Golf Tournament, September 10 at Saugeen Golf Club.

Olivia Little whacked her pink ball during the ceremonial drive, to kick off the annual Liv-A-Little Foundation fundraiser at Saugeen Golf Club, September 10.