On the cusp of its 20^th annual tournament, the TrueNorth Greater Cedar Rapids Open, presented by Granite City Food & Brewery, would like to thank all of its sponsors for their support over the first 19 years.

Because of our donors’ staunch support of the tournament, the GCRO was able to give back to the community a one-year record $20,000 in charitable donations in 2017. That increased the total GCRO donation over the first 19 years of the tournament to $178,255.

“We are extremely pleased and proud as an organization to be able to make the contributions we have made over the years,” said tournament co-founder Jim McPartland. “We have our tremendous sponsors and donors to thank for that. Many of them have stood by us for many years and believe in our mission.

“Their support has led to other businesses and companies joining us in making this tournament a huge success, not only for the professional golfers who compete in it and gain meaningful experience, but for the many groups and organizations we are able to show support for,” continued McPartland.

Last year, the GCRO completed a three-year program of donating to the Iowa PGA Foundation’s “Swing with Kids” initiative.

The GCRO donated $8,000 to the program, which was earmarked for theMarion Independent School District. It enabled the Iowa PGA to begin the program in all of Marion’s elementary and middle schools and came on the heels of a two-year, $16,000 GCRO donation to have the program implemented in the Cedar Rapids Community School District elementary schools.

For more information on the Iowa PGA initiative, click here.

The GCRO also made a $2,000 donation to the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) in support of Ian Johnston, who will be a senior this coming fall at Cedar Rapids Prairie High School. Johnston is raising funds for the local Area Substance Abuse Council in memory of his older brother Seth Carnicle, who lost his battle to drug abuse. Read more about Johnston’s mission in The Gazette or the Iowa City Press Citizen.

Other organizations the GCRO gave back to in 2017 include:

• $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.
• $2,000, divided in varying amounts, to the golf programs at seven different high schoolsin the Cedar Rapids-Iowa City Corridor that participated in the GCRO Caddie Program last year. The GCRO also paid out $2,000 directly to the caddies for their work.
• $2,000 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 the Iowa PGA. Go here for information.
• $1,000 to the Veterans Administration in Iowa City for its General Purpose fund.
• $1,000 to the Cedar Rapids Salvation Army junior programs.
• $1,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Cedar Rapids.
• $1,000 to Camp Courageous.

The 20^thanniversary of the GCRO will kick off Tuesday, July 24 with two Pro/Ams, the Culver’s Restaurants Junior Golf Clinic and the 2^ndannual Coca-Cola Mascot Challenge, all at Hunters Ridge Golf Course in Marion. There will be a third Pro-Am on Wednesday, July 25 before the Granite City Food & Brewery Pro/Am Dinner Party that evening. The 54-hole professional golf tournament will begin Thursday, July 26 with more than 120 golfers from around the country and world. There will be a cut after Friday’s second round and the 54-hole tournament will conclude Saturday, July 28.

The champion will earn a check for a record $30,000 this year. Admission is free.