Golf balls galore supports aviation students through YLW Golf Classic<\/p>\n
Published 11:30 am Friday, June 19, 2026<\/p>\n
Golf balls rained down from the sky above the Okanagan Golf Club on Thursday evening (June 18) in support of the YLW Scholarship Fund, an initiative that supports students pursuing careers in aviation and aerospace.<\/p>\n
\u200bDropped from a helicopter above the driving range, the golf balls were aimed at three different holes, with the three closest to the pins each winning a prize, including round-trip flights through Air North, Porter Airlines and WestJet.<\/p>\n
\u200bIt\u2019s all part of the 2026 YLW Golf Classic, which saw more than 260 golfers completely sell out the 36 holes that belong to the Bear and Quail golf courses, while raising nearly $12,000 for the cause.<\/p>\n
\u200bKelowna International Airport (YLW) Chief Executive Officer Sam Samaddar said the money raised this year will help at least three students considering aviation and aerospace as a career path.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u201cTo see the community here representing all kinds of different businesses on every hole just shows how much value there is,\u201d said Samaddar. \u201cGetting a pilot\u2019s licence is very, very expensive\u2026 So if we can help in any way, we want to be able to help.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u200bThe YLW Golf Classic has become an annual event at the Okanagan Golf Club, helping a number of students get through school and find work.<\/p>\n
\u200bSamaddar tells Black Press Media there are more jobs in the aviation sector than most people realize, and that these funds will help students become more than just pilots.<\/p>\n
\u200bOther major categories in aviation include flight operations, aircraft maintenance, airport administration and air traffic control.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u201cWhen we look at the aerospace canvas, you need a pipeline with all the skills and trades to be able to feed into that pipeline. These are good-paying jobs, and kids who are graduating from college aren\u2019t always connected to the aviation side,\u201d said Samaddar.<\/p>\n
\u200b\u201cWe\u2019re trying to connect those two pieces. And when we look at the programs we have at the college or the university, these programs lend themselves to future generations to support aviation, and we want to take advantage of that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u200bThe 2026 YLW Golf Classic also featured a dinner celebration and silent auction.<\/p>\n
The Okanagan Golf Club in #Kelowna<\/a> hosted the 2026 YLW Golf Classic on Thursday, capping it off with a helicopter ball drop in support of the YLW Scholarship Fund. @KelownaCapNews<\/a> @BlackPressMedia<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Xy6olY5GZM<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Brayden Ursel (@BraydenUrsel) June 19, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n