Here’s what you will do the weekend of Labor Day Weekend this year. You will have your normal golf game, but you will play it on one of the courses in the Patriot Golf Day program. You will contribute at least a $1 to the Folds of Honor, hopefully more. If you aren’t playing this weekend or don’t play golf, you will make a contribution online. This foundation provides post-secondary educational scholarships for the children and spouses of military men and women disabled or killed while serving our great nation. The first Patriot Golf Day was in 2007 was started by Major Dan Rooney, Founder of the Folds of Honor Foundation, a F-16 Pilot and PGA Professional, which resulted in donations of more than $1.1 million from more than 3,200 golf facilities. In the last five years, golfers nationwide have been instrumental in raising more than $12.8 million through Patriot Golf Day events resulting in over 2600 recipients in all 50 states.
There have been 700,000 soldiers have been killed or disabled in the military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, which has created over one million dependents that have been adversely affected. While the federal government provides some support for these families, it cannot succeed alone without donations from the private sector.
To paraphrase the words of Patrick Henry, their battle is ours. We have a collective duty to honor those who have sacrificed to keep us free by serving the families they leave behind. Please, let your golf buddies and friends know, and on Labor Day weekend, this year and every year forward, honor the men and women of the military who have sacrificed their all for your freedom!
