in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 2, 20 18 | 14 "Mommy - let's play Kerr Street Mission" For many Oakville children, playing with plastic kitchenware and toy fruit is a fun imitation of what they see in their own household kitchen. However, for one young 4 year old, "playing kitchen" means something entirely different. Playing in her pretend kitchen is playing Kerr Street Mission and it is helping care for others. Her family has been volunteering as part of the Community Meal program. She has spent a number of Saturday mornings watching her mom and dad prepare and cook food and help serve guests. Despite her young age, she possesses an awareness of others in need and a desire to serve and support. There are many people here in Oakville that need a helping hand. Too often we forget or just don't notice others needs. But we need to remember because they need us and we can make a difference. Poverty is not always about finances. There are many in our community who are lonely and without family or friends that can help. At Kerr Street Mission we provide practical support and we provide friendship, laughter conversation and a sense of belonging. This comes because so many of our volunteers give themselves wholeheartedly to their work. Our volunteers see the 'clients' of KSM as real people with dreams, talents, aspirations, and struggles and hurts. And as they spend time together they become more then clients, they become friends. Would you consider joining in the mission? Your gift of time and/or money will make a difference for a family in need. We would love to have your help! To learn more call 905-845-7485. Kerr Street Mission 485 Kerr Street, Oakville P: 905.845.7485 Charitable Reg. No. 897106845RR0001 If Sunday was indeed the final chapter in Glen Abbey's long history with the RBC Canadian Open, at least the fans got the end- ing they hoped for. A week that started with Lee Trevino returning to the course where he won the first Canadian Open contested in Oakville, end- ed with the world's No. 1 player and fan favourite Dustin Johnson winning what is likely the last. Sitting in a four-way tie at 17-under to start the day, Johnson birdied his first two holes on his way to a 6- under 66 to win by three strokes. "It's never going to be back here," Johnson said, pointing out what everyone seems to accept, but what no one has been willing to officially acknowledge. "So it was big for me to get the win here. I like this golf course a lot. I felt like I've been so close here a couple times." A runner-up to Brandt Snedeker at Glen Abbey in 2013 and to Jhonattan Ve- gas in 2016, Johnson would not be denied Sunday. His biggest challenge came not from the three players hefrom the three players hef started the day tied with, but from Keegan Bradley, who rocketed up the leader- board with round of 64. With Bradley in the clubhouse after closing with three straight birdies, Johnson's lead slipped to one shot after suffering his lone bogey of the day on the par-3 12th. But Johnson capitalized with birdies on the three re- maining par-5s to pull away from the field, much to thefrom the field, much to thef delight of the Glen Abbey fans, most of whom waitedfans, most of whom waitedf through a two-hour delay to see him claim the title. On No. 18, with the tour- nament all but sewn up, he bombed his drive 370 yards down the middle of the fair- way. Following chants of "Let's go DJ," he hit his ap- proach to 11 feet and made an easy two-putt birdie to close out his third win of the season. Johnson's presence at the top of the leaderboard no doubt helped atten- dance surpass 80,000 for the week. And he certainly ap- preciated the fans' enthusi- asm. "It was great all week. I had a lot of support out there, lot of fans following me with my ties to Canada, with (wife) Paulina and her dad being Wayne Gretzky, it definitely helps," he said. "I get a lot of fans that pull for Wayne, they pull for me.for Wayne, they pull for me.f So it was a lot of fun out there this week." Johnson made it fun for the fans too. With all due re- spect to the trio that began the day tied for the lead, Byeong-Hun An, Whee Kim and Kevin Tway, whose dad Bob won the 2003 Canadian Open in a playoff, it's doubtful the tournament would have resonated as much with the Glen Abbey faithful with anybody but Johnson win- ning. As one supporter pro- claimed after Johnson birdied No. 11 for the third time in the tournament, "If you're not here for DJ, you're lying." Trevino, the 78-year-old Hall of Famer who re- turned to take part in the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony Tues- day, won the inaugural Ca- nadian Open at Glen Abbey in 1977. Since then, the course has been the semi- permanent home, hosting it for the 30th time this year. The victory by Johnson, a future Hall of Famer, bookends a storied history for the world's third oldestfor the world's third oldestf tournament in Oakville. Tiger Woods, Curtis Strange, Greg Norman, Nick Price, Vijay Singh, Mark O'Meara, Snedeker and Jason Day all celebrat- ed victory on Glen Abbey's iconic 18th green. The only notable absence from the list is Jack Nicklaus, who recorded three of his seven Canadian Open runner-up finishes at the course he de-finishes at the course he de-f signed. While no one, other than Johnson, has come right out and said the Canadian Open won't return to Glen Abbey, two of the next five tournaments (2019, 2023) have been awarded to the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, which will benefit from a move to June andfrom a move to June andf will now be the week before a major (the U.S. Open), rather than the week after (the Open Championship). Golf Canada, which oper- ates the tournament, has been in negotiations with other courses about host- ing in the future. Earlier this month, Golf Canada CEO Laurence Ap- plebaum said Glen Abbey has not been considered as a site for the LPGA's CP Women's Open.Women's Open.W Lawyers battling over the future of the course and its owner, ClubLink, wish- ing to develop it for housing certainly has not helped plan for future events. Asked Sunday about Glen Abbey's impact on the tournament and Golf Cana- da, Applebaum said the course has "given a bounce to Canadian golf. As far as the venue goes, it's been spectacular." Trevino, who claimed a third Canadian Open title and his second victory at Glen Abbey in 1979, pro- claimed his fondness for the tournament during his visit. "Any time you can win a country's open, it's a feath- er in your hat," he said. As Johnson celebrated his 19th PGA win, moving him past Woods for the most victories in the last decade, the 34-year-old agreed. "It's a big event. It's a big event for Canada. It's a big event for me," Johnson said. "Every win is very special, but this one is defi- nitely a little bit more spe- cial." And thanks to the world's best player living up to his billing, Glen Ab- bey's swan song left a last- ing memory for its fans. JOHNSON PROVIDES PERFECT BOOKEND TO GLEN ABBEY'S CANADIAN OPEN STORY HERB GARBUTT hgarbutt@metroland.com RCMP Const. Terry Russel gives 2018 Canadian Open champion Dustin Johnson his stetson to wear during the trophy celebrations, at what could be the last Open held at Glen Abbey. Graham Paine/Metroland COMMUNITY