Dear editor,
My family and me have been coming to Gander for almost 30 years now. As a matter of fact, we spent our honeymoon night at the Gander Hotel 36 years ago this coming Aug. 16. We have taken a week of holidays each year since the children were old enough to walk and have come here to relax, play golf and shop.
I can honestly say that we have completely enjoyed each and every trip. This year marks the third year that my daughter, her husband and our two granddaughters have also started vacationing in Gander. It has become a family affair each year that everyone looks forward to.
I played my first game of golf here on the original nine-hole golf course. At that time my son was only five years old, and for me to go golfing I had to take him with me since my wife had our six-year-old daughter to contend with. I remember the first time I went into the old tee shop to book a round of golf. I looked at the girl and said, ‘I would like to pay for a round of golf, but I have a small problem, because I have to take my son with me.’ The girl looked at me and I will never forget her expression when she replied, ‘What is the problem? Put him on the golf cart and take him with you.’
Two gentlemen were standing behind me as I said to the girl, ‘What if the other golfers object to my son being there?’ The two men replied, ‘We do not have a problem with it if you don’t.’
My son still talks about the first golf cart we rented. It was named Fuzzy after the great golf player, Fuzzy Zoeller. From that day on golf in Gander has always held a dear place in my heart. The course is the most beautiful course I have ever played on. It’s always kept in such great condition, wildlife everywhere from moose to caribou, rabbits everywhere, beautiful scenery and most of all great people.
I have to share one experience that happened in 2008 at the Albatross Inn. We had just arrived when the fuel pump on my car expired. We were a little disgruntled, but I said to my wife, ‘Let’s check in and see what we can do.’ At the desk this friendly lady overheard me talking about my situation with my car. She said to me, ‘If you like I can get my friend who has a garage to check it for you.’ Within minutes this young man on a motorcycle arrived and confirmed that it was indeed the fuel pump that was gone on our car. ‘If you like,’ he said, ‘I can have you towed to our garage and see what we can do.’
Several minutes later, a tow truck arrived and I got aboard and went to the garage with him. It was very busy at the garage and was a family-run business. The father and son ran the garage and the mother looked after the invoicing and office affairs. The woman asked what we were in Gander for. I replied it was the first day of a week’s holiday. She left the office and in a few minutes and came back saying, ‘We have found a new fuel pump and if you want we can install it in the next couple of hours.’
Well, can you imagine this? The garage was busy and still without an appointment or credit check they were willing to do this for me. I thanked her, said yes, and asked her if she wanted my credit card information. She said it was fine and that we would straighten it out later.
By this time the husband came in and asked me to bring the car in and open the trunk cover so he could get started. When the cover opened there was my golf clubs, which were supposed to be used in an hour on a round of golf that had been booked. The man looked at me and said, ‘Are you golfing today? ‘I was,’ I replied, ‘but now this is happening.’
