Patriot Golf Day Launches on Labour Day Weekend
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of Canada, in collaboration with Golf Canada, is proud to announce the launch of Patriot Golf Day Canada.
The national initiative will raise funds for the True Patriot Love Foundation.
“On behalf of all the 3,800 PGA of Canada professionals, we are sincerely proud that this Labour Day weekend golfers and golf courses all across the country will celebrate Patriot Golf Day,” says PGA of Canada CEO, Gary Bernard. “This wonderful initiative allows everyone in the golf community across the country to raise funds and honour our great Canadian military personnel and their families.”
Scott Simmons, Golf Canada’s Executive Director and CEO agrees, saying he would love to see Golf Canada’s more than 340,000 members show their support of Patriot Golf Day this Sept. 1-3.
“I would strongly encourage golf enthusiasts from across the country to get out to the golf course this Labour Day weekend and participate in Patriot Golf Day,” Simmons says. “We all have a great opportunity to come together through golf and show our support for the brave men and women of the Canadian military who proudly serve our country.”
Money raised from Patriot Golf Day will go to the True Patriot Love Foundation, which supports and honours members of the Canadian military and their families. The foundation was founded by a group of citizens dedicated to building bridges between Canadian civilians and their military, in order to better understand and appreciate the sacrifices of soldiers and their families.
“The True Patriot Love Foundation is truly honoured to be the beneficiary of this national initiative, Patriot Golf Day Canada,” says True Patriot Love Chairman, Shaun Francis. “The money raised and the awareness gained among Canadian golfers will certainly go a long way for our foundation and Canada’s military families.”
In less than three years, the True Patriot Love Foundation has raised millions of dollars for members of the Canadian military and their families and disbursed over $3 million to a variety of military programs, charities and causes, when and where it was needed most. This included providing support for military families, severely injured veterans, mental health, public education, and transition support to civilian life, to name a few.
Golfers who play on Labour Day weekend at participating Patriot Golf Day courses across the country can donate any dollar amount to the initiative. Holding events at golf courses is another way of raising money towards the initiative.
In 2007, the PGA of America, the USGA and the Folds of Honor Foundation launched Patriot Golf Day in the United States and over the past five years; the initiative has been wildly successful, raising $12.8 million (USD).
“In the United States, we’ve seen Patriot Golf Day grow year over year,” says Folds of Honor, Patriot Golf Day Director, Tony Biata, PGA. “It’s been very successful in helping raise awareness and funds for our military personnel and their families, so there’s ever opportunity for that to happen in Canada as well.”
Bernard agrees, saying the collaboration between the PGA of Canada, the PGA of America and the Folds of Honor Foundation will only help the success of Patriot Golf Day Canada.
“We’re working very closely with the PGA of America and the Folds of Honor Foundation,” Bernard says. “What they’ve done in five years is just amazing, so we’re learning and using a lot of their successful ideas.”
Golf courses and golfers interested in participating in Patriot Golf Day Canada should visit, www.pgaofcanada.com/patriotgolfdaycanada