Circle of Seven raises money for charity with Memorial Golf tourney

CTV News

a day ago

The Essex Golf and Country Club will host the 30th annual Circle of Seven John Ferguson Memorial Golf Tournament for charity on Monday, June 23.
The Essex Golf and Country Club will host the 30th annual Circle of Seven John Ferguson Memorial Golf Tournament for charity on Monday, June 23.
The Essex Golf and Country Club will host the 30th annual Circle of Seven John Ferguson Memorial Golf Tournament for charity on Monday, June 23.
The tournament is a reprise to the day, 30 years ago, when the Circle of Seven formed at the Essex Golf Club. It is also a memorial to three members lost: former NHL player John Ferguson Sr., Ed Agnew, and Robert (Knobby) Knudsen.
The organization has helped those in need in our community for 30 years. The philanthropic organization has raised over $4.5 million since its inception. Money raised stays in the Windsor-Essex region, going towards health and wellness initiatives, youth sports, and the arts — all of which do not already receive government monetary assistance.
The popular golf tournament is sold out. For participants in the tourney – around 120 golfers - it's a way to give back to our community.
Rob Agnew and Don Wiley are the only two original founding members of the Circle of Seven alive today.
Essex Golf and Country Club
Rob Agnew, left, and Don Wiley, right, are the two remaining original co-founders of the Circle of Seven, seen on June 10, 2025. (Gary Archibald/CTV News Windsor)
Agnew places the focus on the contributors, donators, corporate partners, and the public regarding making Circle of Seven charity initiatives successful year after year.
'We're out here to also hope that other groups will get together like we did - just seven fellows around the table here at Essex and decide to do something meaningful for the community,' said Agnew. 'We're hope and pray that that happens and that our younger generation will take over for us.'
For Wiley, it's vital to keep the legacy of giving and helping those in need alive today and tomorrow.
'When I do this tournament, I think of our deceased members, John, Eddie, and Knobby and what this meant to them,' said Wiley. 'We're lucky that we have the type of people that we have attending because it's a limited 100 players. We have very, very little turnover. And they all know what they're here for is to raise money for the Circle of Seven.'
In addition to the charity golf event, the Circle of Seven also participates in other charity events throughout the calendar year.