Maggie's Tartan & Plaid A Match For Prostate Cancer Fundraiser
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
A small British Columbia company specializing in handcrafted tartan golf head covers and accessories is teaming with the Canadian Cancer Society’s Plaid for Dad campaign to help raise money for prostate cancer research.
Vernon residents Henry and Sandra Goy started Maggie’s Celtic Golf Collection about five years ago. Recently retired and both avid golfers, the couple was looking for something to do during the off-season. “How it started is kind of an interesting story,” Henry says.
“My wife couldn’t find head covers she liked so we just said, okay, why don’t we see what we can do. We started dabbling with provincial tartans. We graduated from that to getting into clan tartans as well. We are retired and we love to play golf and this gave us something to do in the off-season.”
Maggie’s has recently partnered with the Canadian Cancer Society in support of its Plaid for Dad fundraising effort. “We have created an exclusive ‘Plaid for Dad’ tartan that is officially registered in the Scottish Register of Tartans and milled in Scotland in 100 per cent wool for the sole use of the Canadian Cancer Society,” Henry says.
Plaid for Dad tartan items will include ties and scarves, essentials pouches, driver and putter head covers. Ten percent of all proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer society and Maggie’s has pledged a minimum $5,000 donation. Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men and that motivated the Goys to get involved in trying to raise money.
“I lost a friend to it when I lived in Winnipeg and when I lived in Calgary I had a friend who had surgery,” Henry says. “I have another friend here who I play golf with on a regular basis, who is battling it. From our perspective, it was a close connection. “Golf provides a tremendous opportunity to spread the message and express one’s ongoing support to prostate cancer awareness and research efforts.
"Golfers sporting the exclusive golf club head cover or putter cover or essentials pouch while out on the golf course would be ongoing acknowledgement of support to prostate cancer awareness and helping to raise funds that will make a difference in the lives of men affected by prostate cancer.”
After knocking on many pro shop doors with limited success in the early days of their business, Maggie’s took its business online and that has boosted sales. “The online business generated some sales for us right across Canada so we can honestly say we have sold coast to coast,” Henry says.
Head covers are the big seller and come in two styles -- the more traditional keyhole style and the pipe style, which is more like a tube. The name Maggie’s is testament to Sandra’s Scottish roots. Her middle name is Margaret and she had a couple of aunts named Maggie. “We talk about the tartans being a link to Scotland and Scotland being the home of golf, so there’s a connection there,” Sandra says.
All of Maggie’s products can be viewed on the company’s website, maggiescelticgolf.com. Information on the Canadian Cancer Society’s Plaid for Dad campaign can be found at plaidfordad.ca.