5.3.26 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Teeing off for Hospice Raises $40,000 for Patient Care in Taranaki
What began as one husband’s determination to give back has grown into one of the region’s most popular charity golf events.
Even before George MacArthur’s adored wife Marion died, after 48 years of loving marriage, he was determined to find a meaningful way to support the hospice team who were caring for them.
“My motivation was to do something in return for the love and care that Marion got — and all the way through to our extended family,” George says.
That commitment became Teeing off for Hospice — now an annual fixture on the local golfing calendar — held at the picturesque Westown Golf Club. Thanks to the consistency and dedication of the event committee, George feels he has gone some way towards reciprocating the support his family received.
“This has meant we have been able to give back what was given to my wife and me, and our family,” he says.
This year’s event saw 34 teams take to the greens, supported by more than 50 volunteers who ensured the course was full of fun, there was plenty of food available, and the overall vibe was relaxed and festive. Live music added to the atmosphere, creating a day that was as much about community connection as it was about golf.
A much-anticipated highlight was the unique Guest Player Auction – where invited personalities are auctioned off to join teams for the day. This year’s generous Guests included Jay-Jay Feeney, Grant Fox, Michael Bent, Paul Easton, Holly Winter, Chris Masoe, Hailey Benton, Ken Swan and Jamie Reid – all great sports with varying degrees of golfing prowess. The lively auction was expertly led by Grant Kenny, drawing enthusiastic bidding from teams keen to secure their chosen Guest.
Beyond the golf, generous sponsors and bidders helped elevate the fundraising total, including Gold Sponsor Platinum Homes. Auction items featuring sought-after experiences were warmly received, adding further excitement and generosity to the day.
Together, the event raised an outstanding $40,000 for Te Kahu Pairuri Hospice Taranaki. CE Paul Lamb is delighted these funds will cover 12 months of treatment consumables for the more than 650 patients cared for each year — care that is provided at no cost to patients and their whānau. ‘An excellent result at a time when it is challenging to find funding to bridge the financial gap’ he said.
These consumables include essential clinical supplies such as dressings, gloves, syringes (excluding syringe drivers), swabs and specimen vials. While rarely noticed, they are vital to managing symptoms, maintaining comfort, ensuring hygiene, and delivering dignified care. Treatment consumables are used once and replaced constantly — representing a significant and ongoing cost for hospice services already facing substantial annual funding shortfalls.
Thanks to Teeing off for Hospice, the nurses and doctors can continue arriving at a patient’s bedside with everything they need — focusing entirely on specialist care, comfort and compassion.
From one family’s gratitude has grown an event that now supports hundreds more across Taranaki.
