Val Matteotti Italian Open cancelled due to COVID-19

By Jensen, Randy on May 23, 2020.

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

The Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation has announced the 25th annual Val Matteotti Italian Open golf tournament has been cancelled due to circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Italian Open was scheduled to be held on Aug. 12. The foundation noted in a news release it was difficult decision, but the safety and security of the community will always be the top priority.

This year, in lieu of sponsorship, Tournament Patron Flora Matteotti has made a generous donation of $10,000 to the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation.

“We’ve continued on with the Italian Open for the last number of years in memory of our late Tournament Presidente, Val Matteotti,” says Jason VandenHoek, executive director of the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation. “Supporting the Chinook Regional Hospital through the Italian Open was important to Val, and it continues to be a priority to Flora as well. We can’t thank her enough for this gift and the continued support of our hospital. She has assured us that Val Matteotti Ranches Ltd. will be back as our lead sponsor in the summer of 2021.”

The Val Matteotti Italian Open has been a staple in the foundation to support the greatest needs of health-care services across southern Alberta. To date, the event has brought in $1.6 million. Those funds have remained in Lethbridge, benefiting the Chinook Regional Hospital in numerous ways.

“We are overwhelmingly grateful for the continued support of all our sponsors. In times of uncertainty such as these, the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation would not be able to continue serving the greatest needs of our health-care services without your aid. This event would not have made it the last 24 years without each and every one of you,” the foundation said in the release.

“We would also like to take this time to thank the incredible Italian Open Organizing Committee: Flora Matteotti, John Talerico, Tony Rose, Rocco Suriano, Jason VandenHoek, and Shonna Lamb. Thank you for doing everything possible to put on a spectacular event and always hitting it right down the fairway.”

For more information on the cancellation of the Val Matteotti Italian Open, or to donate to the Chinook Regional Hospital Foundation, visit http://www.crhfoundation.ca/index.php.

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