August 2, 2023

‘GOOD FRIENDS MEET’ TO HONOUR FORMER BRACEBRIDE BEARS CAPTAIN ‘SCOTTIE’ LEES

BRACEBRIDGE — Scott Lees loved the Bracebridge Bears and the Bears loved their former captain.

Saturday at the hockey team’s annual alumni golf tournament they dedicated a bench in his memory at South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club.

“Where good friends meet,” it read.

Organizer Greg Crozier got more than four dozen former line-mates and friends together from the old Jr. C team and honoured a one-time line-mate who died of cancer just over a year ago before their last golf gathering. He was 59.

Lees’ father Turk, a prominents sportsman in Bracebridge, was also a big part of the team that won at least one Georgian Bay championship when the Jr. C team would pack the old arena beyond capacity in the small, tightly confined quarters where players could hear and feel the fans in the stands feet away.

Scott Lees’ son Logan Schell, left, Greg Crozier, Lees’ wife Jeanette and Ron Web give thumbs up to a “great guy,” following Saturday’s tournament that raised more than $4,000 after expenses.

“Greg told me you wanted to make this one good,” his wife Jeanette told the hushed players during the dedication.

“Well, you have gone over and beyond making this day one we all will never forget.

“The best days of Scott’s life were when he was with all of you and he was proud to tell everyone that. He loved all of you — as he said ‘you were his brothers’ — with all of his heart. And he had a huge heart and a huge laugh.

“He definitely would have been overwhelmed by all your kindness. Scott loved life to the fullest. He was the only guy who would ever get away with the pranks that I’m sure all of you have endured.

“I hope you have a great day on the course and as the bench says: “This is Where Good Friends Meet.’ So let’s all go have some Scottie Fun.”

**Rick Smith tees up on the first hole at South Muskoka Curling and Golf Club as the first of 10 foursomes hit the course in a best-ball format.**

And that’s just what Lees, Crozier, Tim Morrison, Scott and Barry Hammonds, Tim”Beaker” Montgomery, Rick Smith, Brian Whitehead and a number of his friends and family did in recognizing a “great guy” with a lot of good-natured ribbing and kidding around on and off the course.

With the help of former club golf pro Ron Web 10 teams of four played a best-ball format won by the foursome of David Finch, Montgomery, Tim Lefler and Mark Lascelle.

The Bears raised $800 for the metal bench, the same as other memorial markers around the course.

And $4,000 that Crozier said the organizing committee would like club mates to decide what charitable cause they’d like to donate it toward.

A putting contest after — with a Kitchener straight-blade wooden stick — contributed to the amount.