Posted on September 22, 2016 under Faces in the Crowd with no comments yet

 

“I am extremely fortunate. So many kids don’t get the opportunities that I have had.  The importance of my parents’ support cannot be overstated.”

Meet Ben Geyer.

It seems that Ben was born to golf. He and his two siblings grew up in Arbuckle, California just up the road from Sacramento. Arbuckle has a diverse agricultural base, producing almonds, rice and tomatoes among other things. His father was a successful collegiate golfer and when Ben took a club in his hands at the age of five, he was hooked. Two years later he played in his first tournament.

As a teenager he played many sports including baseball, basketball and of course, golf. He was also a good student so it wasn’t surprising that he decided to do his post -secondary studies at St. Mary’s College, a drive and a wedge from San Francisco! He was a business student with an emphasis on marketing.

His coach at the time didn’t stress swing mechanics. He was more interested in his protégées learning course management and worked on the mental aspects of the game. He was surrounded by many other really good golfers and he started to understand the hard work it would take to pursue a career in golf.

The defining moment of his young career happened in his sophomore year when he qualified for the U.S. Amateur to be held in Erin Hills, Wisconsin. In the medal round, leading up to match play, he finished third. His first two matches ended in victory and now came the difficult round of 16. When he checked to see who his next opponent would be, he was somewhat nervous when he discovered that he would be staring down the number 1 amateur in the world at the time: Jordan Spieth!

He lost to Spieth but claims that it was a great learning experience. “Jordan was a great guy to play with. He was a real gentleman. I realized that to be at his level, I had to become a great putter.” Ben also started to realize that he belonged with these top ranked players, which gave him the confidence to turn pro a few years later.

In 2012-13 he was named player of the year in the North California Golf Association. He graduated from university in 2013 and turned pro. He made his first attempt at Q School, a grinding series of tournaments for golfers who want to make it onto one of the major tours. Some bad golf and an eye condition prevented Ben from making the grade in his first attempt. In 2014 he made it to the final stages of Q School and made several stops on the Web.Com tour. He also got a taste of the big leagues competing in two PGA tour stops in 2015.

He played on some mini tours and even did a stint in South America. “I would not be able to do what I do without the support of my family. They help me in every way imaginable.”

He struggled much of 2015 and there were times when doubt crept in. He played the last 5 events on the Canadian Tour in 2015 and his game started to come around. He has played a full schedule in Canada in 2015 and his goal is to make it into the top 60 in rankings to advance of the Tour Championship.

A few weeks ago, the Tour played an event at Bell Bay in Baddeck, Nova Scotia. Prior to the start of the event, his good friend and occasional roommate on the road, Talor Gooch, gave him a tip. Ben promptly went out and shot a course record 64 in the opening round. 

He plans to go back to Q School once again this fall in Nevada.

Ben has a professional demeanor on the golf course and is soft spoken and modest off the course.

Great family. Great attitude. Great work ethic. With a perfect recipe for success, Ben is certainly one up and comer to watch!

Posted on September 19, 2016 under Monday Morning Musings with no comments yet

” The Cove “

I appreciate all the feedback and heartfelt comments about last week’s Faces in the Crowd  ( FITC ) story on the late Jill Brymer. As I said in the comment section on Facebook, “ While the story is about Jill, it is also undeniably a story about family and community. You should all take a bow for providing a nourishing environment for Jill, and others who face obstacles, to thrive.” Guysborough is an awesome community.

I have three more interesting FITC stories waiting in the wings.

What does it take to get to the top of any profession? Hard work, dedication perseverance and a bit of luck are typical responses. You may not be a golfer or even a sports enthusiast but this week’s story is about a young man from California who is trying to make it onto the PGA tour… the same tour that greats like Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods plied their trade. Very few golfers make it to the big times. The LPGA tour is the women’s equivalent.

Ben Geyer is playing on the Canadian tour and paying a lot of dues in the process. Every week is pressure packed and like most of us when we were young, he leans heavily on family and friends for support ( moral and financial ! ). Golfers will certainly understand the challenges he faces but his journey is very similar to people in other walks off life. Even if you don’t know the difference between a slice and a hook, please take a few minutes and read Ben’s story. He’s a really decent human being, by the way.

We are all quite familiar with the Syrian war and the efforts of Canadians to welcome refugees. In an upcoming FITC story, you will meet a remarkable woman who fled her parent’s country with bombs hailing down on her…. twice and several years apart. She is also our province’s Minister of Immigration, the Honorable Lena Diab. She and I sat down in Halifax last week and had a great chat.

And finally… I had the honor of sitting down with a gentleman who received his C.A. ( Chartered Accountant ) designation at the age of 20 and only recently officially retired just shy of his 90^th. birthday. He may very well be the longest serving C.A. in Canada… ever!  His story, like everyone else’s, is remarkable in many ways.

Grab your calendars and mark this down. Now! I mean right now. On Sunday, October 23^rd. we’re having an evening of music and dance at the St. James United Church at 7:00 p.m. As you know, St. James helps to feed the hungry two days a week, all year long and it is time to fill the pantry once again. All proceeds from the evening will go towards purchasing food for the Hot Meal Program. Can’t make it? Too many things on your incredibly busy social calendar? Fear not. If you want to help, you can drop off a cheque or cash to Andrea at the St. James office on Main Street. Or you can track me down and give it to me. You will get a receipt for your charitable donation.

Have a great week.

Posted on September 15, 2016 under Faces in the Crowd with 3 comments

Jill Leanne Brymer –  1976-2016

Jill Brymer had a mind of her own.

According to her parents, Jill was lovable from the day she was born and it became evident early on that she had an independent streak. And she definitely wasn’t shy! From an early age, she was eager to try things and she embraced challenges. From clothing to food, Jill knew what she liked and what she didn’t. She was neither a “girlie girl” nor a tomboy. She would go rabbit hunting with Blair or go cutting brush with her father, Ken.

 She was Jill. Unique Jill.

She enjoyed going to school and she was surrounded by warmth and friendship. Pity help the person who said something untoward about Jill. Two of her passions were sports and music … especially dancing. She played t-ball and she curled and she was manager of the GMHS basketball team.

As well as participating in sports, she was a rabid fan; especially when her siblings were competing against each other in curling. While not trying to show favoritism, she realized that sisters stay together, so she rooted for Shauna!

Her mother, Frances, fastidiously curled Jill’s hair every day before Jill went to school. And as sure as the sun rises in the east, Jill would immediately go into the washroom at school upon arrival, wet a comb, and remove the curls. One evening there was an event at the school. Frances curled Jill’s hair and off they went. Several teachers commented on how good she looked in curls, having never seen them in all the years that Jill had attended school!

Upon graduation, she embarked on the next part of her journey by attending Guysborough Options for Adaptive Living Society (GOALS). Jill attended GOALS for 18 years. According to administrator Donna Cook, “Jill will be remembered for her love of hockey and dance, as well as her strength of character and wonderful sense of humour.”

While she enjoyed the programming at the centre, she really hit her stride when she took on work placements. She was a fixture at the local schools for years. From all accounts, it was Jill’s job to keep the staff in line at the school. “Jill loved to be part of our day and would always have something to say to set us in the right direction,” reminisced former principal, Paul Long. “The gift that Jill brought to our school was that everyone became a better person, from our youngest students to the veteran teachers. She showed us that people with special needs and abilities can and should participate fully in the workplace.  She helped us develop a respect and sense of appreciation for everyone.”

Jill’s bedrock was her faith. Nothing was more important than attending Mass and when she became an altar server, the stakes were even higher. Nothing would keep her from fulfilling her commitment to St. Ann’s Church. She felt a sense of duty and responsibility and often filled in when other servers didn’t show up. She had a special bond with Rev. Ray Huntley. “Jill’s deep faith in God, and the care and dignity with which she performed her role as a Minister of the Altar, touched the hearts, strengthened the faith, nourished the souls and lifted the spirits of all who participated in any Mass where Jill was present,” remembers Father Ray.

Family meant everything to Jill, especially Ken’s mother, Hazel who lived on the same property for many years. Hazel would sit by her window waiting for the bus to drop off Jill at 3:00. Jill would retrieve “Gram’s” mail and head up the lane for a slice of fresh homemade bread or some other treat. Jill often spent the weekend with her. They were inseparable. Shortly before she passed away, Jill awoke from her sleep one day and said, “I miss Gram.”

Jill loved participating in the Special Olympics. She could run like the wind and could execute the shot put with the best of them. But what she enjoyed most was the camaraderie, especially the closing dance where it would be all but impossible to get Jill off the dance floor!

It seems that she had an eye for good looking men. Whenever she encountered a fellow who caught her eye, she would casually look at his hands and say, “No ring on that finger!”

Her sister, Shauna, points out that Jill was the real deal. “She was truly genuine … there was nothing fake about her. What you saw was what you got. It was amazing how many people knew her. She was like a local celebrity.”  And once Jill met you, she never forgot you, your name or your birthday or anniversary. Her recall of dates was legendary.

Life can be cruel, and at the age of 25 Jill was diagnosed with both liver and celiac diseases.  Jill was stoic about the news, although it forced her to change some of her eating habits. She always hoped and prayed for a liver transplant. Over the last 5-6 years her decline was progressive, and on August 19^th this year she succumbed to her illnesses.

According to Paul Long, “If you were a teacher and you attended Mass at St. Ann’s, you were definitely in Jill’s good books. I had the great pleasure of working with her each day and sitting with her in church on Sunday morning, so my place was on page one.” KC, a fellow teacher from a neighboring community, routinely poked fun at Paul as he attempted to share Paul’s lofty status as a “page one-er”. When he would kid Paul, Jill would pipe up, “You’re not from St. Ann’s, so back off buddy.” According to Long, “At her graveside, the skies opened up and we all got a good soaking. I said to KC that she was getting one last shot at you and we’re all paying for it.”

“She didn’t let her disability define her, “says Shauna. “ She was determined to make her life her own, and in doing so, taught us that you never know what you can accomplish if you don’t try. At a young age I realized that Jill was special.  As our lives progressed I saw that it was not her limitations that made her extraordinary, but how she embraced life, her courage and determination, and who she chose to become.”

Although it won’t be the same now at GOALS, the school and St. Ann’s, Jill’s absence will be felt most intensely at home.  Jill’s exemplary life is to your credit, Ken and Frances; you left nothing undone.

“Up, up the long delirious burning blue

I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace,

where never lark, or even eagle, flew;

and, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod

the high untrespassed sanctity of space,

put out my hand and touched the face of God.”

High Flight – John Gillespie Magee, Jr.