As we approach Veterans Day, we caught up again with our partners at On Course Foundation.
They support the recovery of injured veterans by providing confidence-building GOLF coaching events and opening doors to employment in the golf industry, goals that have been made even more challenging by the pandemic.
Q: A lot has changed in the world since we last spoke, how have recent events affected the On Course Foundation?
A: Like every organization and particularly non-profits we have suffered financially. A significant proportion of our income comes from fundraising golf days that just haven’t been possible. Thankfully we have worked hard to keep our overheadS really low over the years, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned moving forward. As ever, the golf industry has been great but we do need more support during this difficult time.
Q: How are veterans being impacted?
A: The biggest concern for us is the injured veterans that we support, particularly those suffering from hidden wounds such as PTSD. The reality is that our members were vulnerable before the Covid-19 crisis, but PTSD plus isolation and distancing has been a huge concern for us.
The reality is that there has never been a greater need for our work, yet, due to the economic situation, we can’t serve as many individuals as we would like. That being said; we are operating at about half capacity and are really pleased to be getting veterans out of the house and on to the golf course again. This quite simply will save lives, but to do more, we need to raise additional funds.
Q: How are you commemorating Veterans Day this year and how can people support those efforts?
A: Like every year we will pay tribute to veterans, past, and present, but sadly many of the normal activities and events around this special day have been canceled this year. That’s caused us to make some adjustments. Instead, we’ll be launching an online Veterans Day Auction which will raise valuable funds to support our golf program. For every $5,000 we raise, we’ll be able to get 15 injured veterans out of the house and on to the golf course. I’d expect one of these individuals to find a job in golf as a result.
We want to include the support of great golf courses that would otherwise be inaccessible to players and veterans as possible. If any Club is willing to donate a midweek foursome or other items and bid on the auction items, it will send a powerful statement to our injured veterans that their sacrifice has not been forgotten.
If anyone or club is interested in making a difference and supporting veterans with donations, please email John Dodds directly at [email protected].
Stay up-to-date with On Course and items available for auction