Desiree’s Angels held its seventh annual golf tournament in Scotland on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
Despite the summer heat, around 30-plus players arrived at Fescue’s Edge Golf Club ready to participate in the afternoon’s nine-hole tournament and to help raise funds for Victim Services of Brant.
Following the game, players headed inside the clubhouse for a Strodes BBQ and Deli dinner, and a chance to win a variety of raffle prizes.
The event was held in honour of Susan Gerth’s daughter, Desiree Gallagher. The then 21-year-old was the victim of an assault back in May of 2013.
“Desiree was a victim of crime. She was brutally assaulted and fell seven stories from a balcony,” said Gerth. “She survived for two years, but was left blind and in a wheelchair with short-term memory loss. She passed away from her injuries but she was very strong and very determined… she never gave up.”
The year of the assault, Gallagher’s best friend Sheraya Stanford and Sheraya’s mother, Lisa Ellison-Stanford, held a fundraiser to help the family cover her medical needs and rehabilitation, but the support didn’t stop there.
“The following year in 2014, John Kormos here, who also started this golf tournament, organized Desiree’s Ride, which at the time was called ‘Ride for Des,’ and they raised $10,000 for her rehabilitation and medical costs as well,” said Gerth. “Even though she’s passed on now, that ride and this tournament have continued on ever since and we continue to try to raise awareness.”
Over the years, Desiree’s Angels: Victims for a New Start, the non-profit organization founded by Gerth, has raised over $100,000 for Victim Services of Brant.
Reflecting on what happened and everything that’s followed since, including the loss of her son, Dwayne, just five years ago, Gerth said she’s grateful for the continued support of her friends and family.
“It’s been a rough journey, but I have great support,” she said. “These people… they lift me up and they’re always there. They really are a wonderful group and I couldn’t have done it without them. They’re just amazing.”
Gerth announced on social media the next day that the golf tournament raised a total of $2,200.
For those looking to get involved with the cause, the tenth annual Desiree’s Ride will take place on Saturday, August 16, 2025. To learn more, visit: https://www.desireesride.com/ride-details-registration
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
