Cundari announces 'True Patriot Love' Golf Campaign

Glenn Cundari's final task as PGA of Canada president was to unveil an endowment fund honoring Canada's military personnel from coast to coast.

Cundari was at 22 Wing, CFB North Bay on Thursday amid military personnel and members of Golf Canada to announce a new initiative by the True Patriot Love Foundation.

A combined effort between Cundari, Hedican, The Canadian Armed Forces and PGA Canada and U.S has brought Patriot Golf Day Canada, a national fundraising campaign, to the tee.

Using various fund raising techniques, the campaign will help raise funds and fun in the name of the military and golf.

Donations will assist with the education of children and wives who have lost loved ones in military action.

It will also seek beneficiaries for soldiers wounded by war.

While the official date for Patriot Golf Day Canada is on the Labour Day weekend, a lot of flexibility and strategy has allowed various golf clubs to set up their own time frames for the event.

“For most of us in the community, as civilians, it's sort of hard to find a way to support the military and so this is going to be a real easy way, through golf courses,” says Cundari.

PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard, a speaker at The Patriot Golf Day Press Conference in North Bay, says PGA Golf and the military is a perfect fit and combining them together is a great way to raise awareness and support for our armed forces.

Bernard says the PGA are very happy to be involved in the cause, bringing families, military and golf together at the national level.

“It's going to be a huge success”, says Bernard.

Tom Hedican, the driving force behind Coach 4 Food, facilitated the beginnings of this new program by simply making a phone call to Tony Biata and the Folds of Honor Foundation, connecting a similar program in the U.S to the CPGA and Cundari.

“I realized that Patriot Golf Day didn't exist in Canada and I asked “How can we get this going?” says Hedican.

Biata, Director of Patriot Golf Day, says the idea was embraced from day one.
“PGA Canada just wants to do this,” he says.

Biata says what began five years ago simply by donating one dollar from each green fee has turned into a multi-million dollar event that is growing annually, despite the obvious economic tightening in the U.S.

“Something needs to get done and we have such a great platform with the game of golf to make it happen and it's been incredible what we've done with it in the states.” he says.

Colonel Conrad Namiesniowski, Wing Commander of the 22nd WING, Canadian Armed Forces, was happy to see the grass roots organization of funds from a dollar to whatever one can afford being donated to this event, which will go towards the Military Family Resource Centre.

“I can't be happier,” says Colonel Namiesniowski.

Mayor Al McDonald says that it is an incredible feeling to think that this announcement was made for a cross Canada program right here in North Bay with Cundari as president and Hedican present.

“I'm glad because we share an exceptional relationship with our Armed Forces in North Bay for 61 years,” says McDonald.

“It's an unbelievable announcement.”

For more information, please visit www.pgaofcanada.com/patriotdaycanada.