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Dawson City raises funds for food bank at disc golfing event

Dawson City's Parks and Recreation department registered to compete in the Ice Bowl disc golf event on Jan. 4, raising approximately $500 for the Dawson City Food Bank.

Dawson disc golfers braved the -46 C cold for the Ice Bowl disc golf competition at Dawson City’s Crocus Bluff course on Jan. 4, raising funds and collecting food donations to support local food insecurity initiatives.

This year, the city managed to raise approximately $500 and collected 40 lbs of non-perishable food items to be donated to the Dawson City Food Bank, according to Dawson’s Parks and Recreation Facebook page.

Despite the frigid conditions on Jan. 4, 10 players came out wrapped head to toe to test out their skills against other Yukoners. A video posted on the department’s Facebook page shows players shooting discs between trees and to reach the baskets in the city’s Crocus Bluff area.

The city’s website states that Ice Bowl events are a globally recognized winter tradition going back to 1987.

The events include a competitive element with the Jan. 4 champion being Désiré Rioux, who shot a -4 in the -46 C cold. Rioux also shot a -6 over 27 holes on a separate Ice Bowl event on Jan. 11 in more comfortable -6 C conditions.

On Jan. 11, Malcolm Dewell and Huey James O'Leary Baikie had the best score in the 18-hole division.

The global event attracted many registrations from the U.S., 10 Canadian registrants, and one from a European nation. Canada was represented by B.C., Ont., N.B., N.L., Y.T., and Sask.

The city of Dawson’s Parks and Recreation "no wimps, no whiners" motto is demonstrated in footage posted on their social media. The 10 people that showed up on Jan. 4 were clad in extra winter garb to brace the frigid elements.

The Jan. 4 event included 18 holes of disc golf played in friendly outdoor spirit no matter the conditions, the city’s website reads. Attendees were encouraged to help contribute food donations on the city’s Parks and Recreation webpage.

The entry fee was $30, which generated an initial $300 toward the city’s fundraiser goal of $500, according to the city’s Ice Bowl registration page. According to the city department’s social media post, the -46 C Jan. 4 Dawson Ice Bowl could possibly be the coldest on record.

Contact Jake Howarth at jake.howarth@yukon-news.com