b'EVENT RECAPRETURNING TO THE FAIRWAYADAPTED SICA GOLF TOURNAMENT PROVIDESBY KELLY PARKER PARTICIPANTS WITH SOME MUCH-NEEDED FUNn afternoon on the golf course A was always a fantastic time, but golfers have discovered that in a time of pandemic restrictions, its also enough of an escape to feel almost normal. On September 11, 2020, the SICA Golf Tournament took place at the Sunset Ranch Golf Course in Kelowna. Due to careful planning, continued sponsor support, the enthusiasm of the golfers and Mother Nature, who supplied a fantastic day of weather, the event was another huge success.Whether the event would happen at all had been a question mark for much of the summer. We do it in June every year, says SICAs Meeting & Events Coordinator Candace Schneider, and we had waited about six to eight weeks in the spring before pulling the pin, because you need that kind of time to make something like this go. But we finally got the go-ahead in July to mount the tournament, so then we had two months to make it happen.Schneider says it took a couple of weeks after getting the go-ahead to nail down the details. But as soon as we made the website live for registration, we sold out infor two to four minutes between eachcame off the golf course, they could go 48 hours, and I think we had about 20 ontee time. We had tee times instead of aright in and get their dinner. When they our waiting list. It actually sold out evenshotgun start so that people were spreadwere finished and left, their tables were quicker than usual with the Septemberout throughout the day, she details. Itsanitized. As for the usual on-course date. I think we might even turn it intodid make for a long day. prizes like longest drives, etc., those a two-day event or join it up with awinners had to be notified, and then had conference and have two tournaments forUnavoidably, the protocols took awayto come by the next day to pick up their the year. from the networking opportunities, asprizes, explains Schneider. That made those sharing golf carts had to be fromit a little bit different for everyone, but I Planners had to figure out how tothe same office. [That] was a littlethink that, overall, people were just happy The new Cool or Tool? app maintain as much of the integrity of thedisappointing because this tournament isto get out there, see some familiar faces tournament day as possible while stillsuch a big networking event, emphasizesand be out on the golf course.adhering to pandemic protocols. ForSchneider. Its usually a big deal to instance, instead of the pre-tournamenthave the big buffet dinner and the prizeThe pandemic also demanded creativity lunch, participants would arrive, registerannouncements, but to maintain physicalregarding the typical on-course activities. and get their package, with lunch waitingdistancing, we had to have all of the prizesAny food or drink samples had to in a cooler bag on each cart along withdrawn ahead of time and posted on abe individually packaged, explains their sponsor swag.board so that they could be picked upSchneider. We had ice cream sandwiches, when the teams came off the course. for instance, instead of people pouring The tournament typically has 140shooters and things like that, but we still participants, but Schneider says thatDinners were pre-selected with a sethad lots of fun challenges. We just really was reduced to 34 teams, which allowedmenu and pre-plated so that as the golfershad to think these things through to 30 SOUTHERN INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION'