Wrangell Sentinel -

Over 70 golfers and friends turned out Saturday morning to participate in the Wrangell Medical Center Foundation’s Rally for Cancer Care. Thirty-four golfers made the trip from Petersburg to join the festivities.

“It’s the second largest group we’ve ever brought to this event,” noted Desi Burrell, the Petersburg connection who has taken on the task of gathering attendees from the ranks of Petersburg golfers.

The tournament is a ‘fun and frolic’ format, no scores are kept and each hole has a different method of play. At the first hole golfers tee off with their foot in a bucket, at another hole golfers took turns playing a single ball and at another hole the twist involved dropping one player each time the balls advanced down the fairway until a single player was left to finish the hole.

The event kicked off with a balloon release in memory of those who’d lost their battle with cancer, it also included a putting contest, lunch, a silent auction, quilt raffle and recognition of those who had triumphed over the disease.

A men’s event, also a fundraiser for Cancer Care, was held on Sunday.

The two events raised more than $3,000 toward the Foundation’s Cancer Care project. WMC Foundation’s Cancer Care initiative makes grants of up to $1,000 available annually per person to cover costs related to travel for those who must go out of their community for cancer treatments. The program is open to residents of Southeast Alaska.