The annual Foresters Kids Classic Golf Tournament yesterday raised more than $100,000 for McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, Ont. and the Flemingdon Park community in Toronto.

Foresters annual golf event has raised more than $800,000 over the past nine years for Children’s Miracle Network hospitals and, more recently, for Flemingdon Park community programs as well.

For the second consecutive year, the Foresters Kids Classic raised more than $100,000 for McMaster Children’s Hospital to purchase equipment for its Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and to help establish a new program for young people in Flemingdon Park, close to Foresters international head office.

“Foresters has been helping families achieve financial security through our life insurance products and investing in our members’ communities for over 130 years,” said Lynn Haight, COO and CFO of Foresters, in a release. “Foresters is committed to making a difference in the lives of children and families which is why we support McMaster Children’s Hospital and our own neighbouring Flemingdon park community.”

Located within McMaster University Medical Centre, McMaster Children’s Hospital is one of the largest pediatric academic health sciences centres in Canada and one of the two busiest children’s hospitals in Ontario. This donation will allow the hospital to purchase five new BabyFlow Nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure systems, a non-invasive ventilating system to care for their smallest patients, the premature infants in the NICU.

Flemingdon Park community has been designated by the United Way and the City of Toronto as a priority neighbourhood. This year, the funds donated from the Foresters Kids Classic will help Flemingdon Park establish a Youth Cabinet to support local youth in gaining the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to do community-based advocacy, education and action. Last year, Foresters invested in this community through its support of Flemo City Radio, a grassroots radio station operated by young adults for Flemingdon Park, and by offering paid internships to youth in the community to provide them with valuable work skills and experience in the life insurance industry. Last month, Foresters presented the United Way’s Get in the Way Awards and designated two of the recipients to be from Flemingdon Park.

Foresters Kids Classic was generously supported by lead sponsor, National Agents Alliance, one of Foresters newest and largest product distribution partners. Other key sponsors included CGI, Merrill Lynch and Scotia Capital.

Also contributing to the success of this event was Eric Lindros along with other celebrity golfers Nick Kypreos and Bryan Muir.