Honouring a legacy: The Randy Walden Memorial Golf Tournament brings community together to give back
Patient Story
Drew Walden always knew his father Randy was beloved in the Kitchener-Waterloo community.
But when the Randy Walden Memorial Charity Golf Classic – in support of Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN) – sold out within three days, Drew and his family were touched to see how popular the tournament had become.
It means so much to see people come together, not just to play golf and support WRHN, but to celebrate who my dad was.
The September tournament raised more than $80,000 for cardiac care at the newly merged hospital in Kitchener-Waterloo – bringing the tally from the event’s first two years to nearly $150,000.
While Drew is proud of the impact those funds will have on healthcare in his community, he’s also glad to see others embracing his father’s legacy of philanthropy by donating, playing, or sponsoring the tournament.
Randy Walden, who died of cancer in 2023, was a “do-it-all guy” — a pilot, farmer, contractor, and business owner – always moving, and always helping.
During his lifetime, Randy and his wife Sally generously donated to both Grand River and St. Mary’s – the local area hospitals that merged into WRHN in April 2025.
The couple was especially intent on giving to the cardiac program at WRHN @ Queen’s Blvd. (formerly St. Mary’s), helping turn it into a regional centre of excellence that serves nearly 1.5 million people today.
When Randy died at age 64, it left an immeasurable hole, not only in the Walden family but within KW’s construction community. As a dedicated entrepreneur, Randy had founded numerous businesses over the years, including Nedlaw Roofing Ltd., where he forged deep connections with others.
A few months after Randy’s passing, family friend Greg Lynch suggested creating a golf tournament that could honour Randy’s memory while giving back to a cause he cared so deeply about. Drew and Greg discussed the idea over lunch, and within a week, began planning.
The first tournament, in 2024, came together quickly. It sold out in two weeks and raised around $70,000.
Plans have already begun for the third installment of the tournament next year. Drew hopes the annual event will allow others to remember his father’s adventurous spirit, his philanthropic outlook, and his integrity and honesty as a businessman.
“At the end of the day, I want this to be about people coming together and remembering my dad — and giving back to help others in his name,” Drew says.
Randy Walden was the kind of person who would do anything for anyone. Through this tournament, he’s still doing that.
Want to host your own event in support of Waterloo Regional Health Network (WRHN)?
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