ESTEVAN - The Estevan Police Association enjoyed tremendous support for the inaugural Jay Pierson Memorial Golf Tournament last August, and the police agency is looking forward to the tournament’s return this year.
The inaugural edition of the event was held in August 2021, and raised $5,445.86 for Operational Stress Injury Canada’s (OSI-CAN) Saskatchewan division. The money will assist the organization in their ongoing efforts towards the betterment of first responders with mental health concerns.
Estevan Police Service Const. Jeremy Taman, who was part of the tournament’s organizing committee, met with the OSI-CAN director for Saskatchewan in the spring to learn about what this organization does to assist first responders with mental health concerns.
The organization has 16 support groups in the province, consisting of councillors with experience in first responder issues. They assist with eye rest therapy to help with sleep, supply healing support dogs and operate horse retreats at ranches across the province.
OSI-CAN is a program of the Canadian Mental Health Association and operates strictly on private funding, providing financial assistance to first responders in need who are not covered through insurance.
“Thanks to the overwhelming support from local businesses in Estevan and all of the attendees at last year’s tournament, which sold out in less than 24 hours,” Taman wrote.
This year’s tournament is being held on Aug. 6 at the TS&M Woodlawn Golf Course, and the association looks forward to another successful year. All of the funds raised will be going to benefit an organization of the association’s choosing to assist with these concerns in memory of Pierson, a member of the Estevan Police Service who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He died in March 2021.
