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PGA REACH Celebrates Veterans in Conjunction with 5th Annual PGA National Day of HOPE
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In honor of our nation’s Veterans, PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, has announced that Thursday — Veterans Day — will serve as the 5th Annual PGA National Day of HOPE. This nationwide Veterans celebration has two goals: Commemorate our nation’s heroes who protect our freedom, and raise awareness and support for PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), the signature military program for PGA REACH.
PGA HOPE is a national program that introduces golf to Veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. The 6-8 week curriculum is taught by PGA Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency, and all programs are funded by PGA REACH and supplemented by PGA Section Foundations, so the cost of programming is free to all Veterans. PGA HOPE participants include Veterans living with physical or cognitive challenges such as Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and amputees, among other challenges.
PGA HOPE has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which enables Recreational Therapists to refer Veterans to the PGA HOPE program as a form of therapy. Through a robust program strategy, PGA HOPE aspires to create a physically and emotionally healthier Veteran community by shaping lives, changing lives, and possibly saving lives through the game of golf.
The rehabilitative golf program helps Veterans assimilate back into their communities through the social interaction the game provides. Led by PGA Professionals, the program is currently being offered at 165 PGA HOPE Chapters across the country, positively impacting more than 3,500 Veterans annually. Additionally, more than 1,200 PGA Members have been trained in military culture and adaptive golf techniques.
“Thanks to the passion and dedication of PGA Professionals who continue to drive the success of the program, PGA HOPE helps Veterans find inspiration and rehabilitation through the game of golf," said PGA President Jim Richerson. "Every Veteran that we inspire through golf is a success story, and we want to reach as many of our nation's heroes as possible who need our help and support.”
In support of this year’s PGA National Day of HOPE activities, PGA REACH has launched a OneCause fundraising campaign where individuals and organizations can contribute to meaningful fundraising events in support of Veterans and future PGA HOPE programming.
For information on PGA National Day of HOPE activities and PGA Section activations, please visit the OneCause fundraising campaign page.
2021 PGA National Day of HOPE campaign highlights:
- 14 Teams of four Veterans and one PGA Professional each will participate in the 4th Annual PGA REACH Carolinas HOPE Cup at Kiawah Island Resort on Monday, Nov. 8 -- the annual season-ending event showcases the life-changing PGA HOPE program for our Veterans.
- PGA REACH Southern Texas will host a Veterans Day PGA HOPE clinic at the Mac Wylie Golf Center, where the new South Texas PGA HOPE Ambassador Sergio Avendano will join PGA Professionals to introduce the game to more Veterans.
- PGA HOPE Fayetteville will host a PGA HOPE graduation on Veterans Day where Veterans will have an opportunity to play nine holes of golf at North Carolina’s Highland Country Club.
- Tennessee PGA HOPE will host a graduation on Wednesday, November 10th at Old Fort Golf Club where Veterans will play the Bloomfield Links six-hole Course in Murfreesboro.
- GOLFTEC will make a $1 donation to PGA HOPE for every lesson given during November through its DRIVE FOR HOPE campaign. The goal is to raise over $100,000 through lessons and donations.
PGA National Day of HOPE comes on the heels of the 2021 PGA HOPE National Golf & Wellness Week at historic Congressional Club, where 20 Veterans from across the country participated in a four-day specialized golf and wellness training program. The new PGA HOPE Ambassadors will help champion the growth of PGA HOPE programming across their respective PGA Sections.
For more information on PGA National Day of HOPE or to make a donation, visit PGAREACH.org.
