Every successful charity event needs a winning formula.

The Annual Marion Cancer Fund Golf Tournament is no exception.

The secret – apart from a day of golf followed by an evening of dinner and dancing – is snail races.

Yes, snail races, says Rob "Turkey" Kielesinski, president of Turkey's Party Makers Ltd. in Cloverdale, who has hosted the annual event for 16 years.

The little critters really take off once they're misted with a bit of water.

Kielensinski, affectionately known as "Turkey", recently donated $10,000 to the BC Cancer Foundation, proceeds from this year's tournament Sept. 12.

The snails are locally-sourced, and are returned unharmed to their natural habitat after the event.

"It's all fun," says Kielesinski, who matches the final tally of the evening. "But we always say, one day I hope we never have to do this."

The tournament is in memory of his late mother-in-law, Marion Solbreken. The sellout event began as a gathering of 30 or so original participants and has grown from there.

The annual fundraiser has now garnered more than $71,000 in donations to the BC Cancer Foundation since the first tournament was held.

Each year, guests pause to remember loved ones who have lost their battle with cancer since the previous year's tournament.

"We haven't had one year where we didn't have people pass away," he says. One year, the names of 13 people were read out.

Rachel Mitchell, development coordinator at the BC Cancer Foundation, says tournament funds are used to support lung cancer research and clinical trials at at the centre, located in Surrey.

There are currently three clinical trials for lung cancer taking place, researching new drugs and treatments – giving new hope to patients with an often difficult cancer diagnosis.

"It is a truly fun event, and I look forward to it every year," Mitchell says. "It always makes me laugh."