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Sandspit's golf course threatened

Submitted by Fran Fowler--The Charmans of Sandspit's Willows Golf Course are announcing with regret that they are unable to continue maintaining the golf course. They are hoping the community can keepgolfing going in Sandspit and continue to use the land as a golf course.We are all grateful to, and most appreciative of Brian's and Margaret's work over the past 16years that has allowed us to golf and enjoy the course and those wonderful burgers. We willalways be grateful for the inspiration of Bill and Marj Mathers who turned a farm into a golfcourse and ran it for so many years; in between there was a time when the community did cometogether to run it for a season and then briefly their granddaughter stepped in prior to her auntand uncles return.There is a wonderful history and many stories to be shared, from Crown Zellerbach's engineers laying out of the fairways, to an inebriated golfer/faller taking out the branches on #4that ruined his shot at an early Willows Open, to Lefty Kendell stories and Georgie Brown's holein one.Brian and Margaret have retired, as they can no longer handle all the maintenance but there arehopes that we will be able to continue golfing, etc. To do that your help will be needed. We might lease the course, but we would need both golfers on the course and most importantlyvolunteers! What would volunteers do you ask? Fund raising, cutting fairways, cutting greens, running tournaments, etc. Yes, we have three communities involved, yes there are ferry issues, butif there is will, and energy, there may be a way.One event is in planning. Thank you (1960s - 2014). This will be a free play/tournamentfor anyone who has worked on the course and only $5 all other players. You will have a chance to say thank you, play golf, reminisce, plan for the future and have fun perhaps win a prize! It's Sunday March 30, begin play between 9:30 and 11:30 am, be finished by 4:00 pm. Play nine holes or more. Check out the Facebook site Willows Golf Course. Sign up. It will help communicating re weather, etc.