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My friend and his wife were gifted a trip to SunRiver Lodge by the Nonprofit Seeds of Hope due to his cancer diagnosis. I was lucky enough to tag along and I’m writing this review because I’m hoping the three employees in the Pro Shop will be recognized for going above and beyond what I ever expected. My friend’s cancer leaves him mostly exhausted but at times able to engage with his surroundings. He was an avid golfer prior to his diagnosis so my hope was he’d be able to at least ride in a cart while I played the course. I went to the Pro Shop thinking I’d explain the situation and just ask if they’d allow him to ride along and maybe if he felt up to it, play a hole. I spoke to Ellie and explained to her that it was highly unlikely he’d have the stamina to go beyond two holes but I’d be happy to pay his full fee if that was necessary.
Ellie told me that not only would that not be necessary but she would allow us to take the cart directly to our cabin to avoid him having to walk into the lodge. She explained that this way if he gets too tired we can just drop him back off at his room. I thanked her profusely and went back to share with him what SunRiver was offering.
Several hours later he decided he’d love to give it a try so I went back to the Pro Shop to enlist Ellie’s help. When I asked for Ellie, I was told she was off shift but did I happen to be “the guy that needed help for his friend.” It turns out Ellie had left shift but informed her co-workers to ensure I’d be taken care of in her absence. Matt and Frazier were now available to assist me. They provided the cart so I could go pick my friend up, ensured there was water available for him, and went I went back to ask for tape to hold him feeding tube down, sent the whole roll with me (which I’m glad they did because we used it several times).
I cannot express enough my gratitude for Ellie, Matt, & Frazier’s care and thoughtfulness. I have to believe SunRiver not only hires the right people but instills in them the power to assist the customer in whatever they need. My friend played several holes that day and was for a brief moment submersed back in the life he had ‘before.’