The TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open Foundation is proud to announce that the organization made charitable contributions exceeding $17,500 from its 2016 proceeds.
“We are extremely fortunate and proud to be working with some outstanding businesses, companies and individuals throughout the Corridor area,” said GCRO tournament co-founder Jim McPartland. “With their support and donations, we are not only able to put on one of the best professional mini-tour golf events in the Midwest, if not the nation, but we are also able to give back meaningful dollars to our communities. That connection is very important to us.”
The GCRO made contributions to nine different youth and veterans’ organizations. The GCRO’s total 2016 contributions of $17,605 brought its 18-year grand total of charitable contributions to the community to over $158,000.
The biggest benefactor, for the second year in a row, was the Iowa PGA Foundation’s “Swings with Kids” program. The GCRO donated another $8,000 to the program – the same as it did in 2015 – all earmarked for the Cedar Rapids Community School District.
The GRCO’s two-year total of $16,000 to the growing program provides equipment and training for students to learn the basics of golf. According to Kathy Szabo, the K-6 Physical Education Facilitator for the district, the goal is to have the program in the PE classes of all 21 elementary schools in the district.
“I cannot even begin to express how excited my PE teachers are to receive this equipment and to also get started using this with our students,” said Szabo in an email. “(The GCRO) donation has allowed all kids in our district access to a life-long skill that is sometimes out of reach. Thank you for believing in the Cedar Rapids Community School District and its PE teachers to provide this program, teach the skills and give children opportunity to engage in the game of golf for life-long fitness.”
Karla Ries, the district’s Director of Instructional Services, echoed Szabo’s comments.
“The donation of this equipment allows our students to begin to develop their golf skills at an early age and helps foster a love of the sport,” Ries said. “This donation gives our students an opportunity they might not otherwise have, and for that we are extremely grateful.”
Iowa PGA Foundation Assistant Executive Director Tess Goudy says the impact of the donation will be felt by many children.
“The $16,000 total donation from the TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open is truly a wonderful gift and will provide the resources needed to introduce the game of golf to all students in the Cedar Rapids’ K-6 school system,” said Goudy in an email. “Golf is not only a fantastic game, but teaches wonderful life skills that can be carried well into adulthood. The Iowa PGA Foundation is appreciative of TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open for their community support and are excited to watch the Swings with Kids golf in school program grow.
“The (GCRO) will have impacted thousands of children and I could not be more excited and grateful for that!”
For more information on the Cedar Rapids program, please click here. For more general information on the Swings with Kids Program, click here.
Following is the rest of the list of donations made by the GCRO for 2016. For more information, click here:
- $2,000 to the Cedar Rapids Optimist Junior Golf Association, which annually organizes at least five golf tournaments locally for junior boys and girls, ages 8-18.
- $1,605 divided in varying amounts to the golf programs at seven different high schools in the Corridor that participated in our GCRO Caddie Program in 2016. The GCRO also paid out $2,000 directly to the caddies for their work.
- $1,000 to the GIVE Foundation. GIVE stands for Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere and is an Iowa-based collaboration between the Iowa Veterans Administration, the Riverside Casino & Golf Resort and Iowa PGA. This year, RIM Enterprises in Cedar Rapids will sponsor a foursome of disabled veterans from the GIVE Foundation to participate in one of the GCRO Pro/Ams.
- $1,000 to the Veterans Administration in Iowa City for its General Purpose Fund.
- $1,000 to the Retrieving Freedom Inc., a non-profit organization that provides trained service dogs for veterans and children,
- $1,000 to the Salvation Army junior programs.
- $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Club of Cedar Rapids.
- $1,000 to Camp Courageous.
“We are extremely pleased to be able to help introduce the game of golf to the children of Cedar Rapids through the Iowa PGA,” said McPartland. “We obviously believe it’s a great program and it allows the TrueNorth GCRO to help every child in Cedar Rapids’ schools see another opportunity through a great game.
“We are also very pleased to give back to the community in several different ways through so many fine programs and organizations. And with the help of our sponsors and donors, we will continue to strive to do more!”
The 19th annual edition of the TrueNorth GCRO, presented by Granite City Food and Brewery, will kick off Tuesday, July 25 with two Pro-Ams. There will be a third Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 26 before the Granite City Food & Brewery Pro/Am Dinner Party that evening. The tournament proper will kick off Thursday, July 27 with the first round at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion. There will be a cut after Friday’s second round and the 54-hole tournament will conclude Saturday, July 29. The champion earns a check for $25,000.