DELRAY BEACH, Florida – Folds of Honor received a record 6,000 applications for its two-month application window that ended this past March 31. Each application, said Tony Biata, a PGA Professional and director of Patriot Golf Day, will be vetted and scholarships awarded in August for the upcoming college and university school year.
This past school year, Biata said, FOH awarded 4,500 scholarships to the families of military service men and women killed and disabled in the line of duty. Since its founding by Lt. Col. Dan Rooney in 2007, Biata said FOH has awarded more than 25,000 scholarships totaling more than $22.5 million. The scholarship money is sent directly to the colleges, universities and vocational schools of its recipients.
Fundraising efforts for next year’s scholarship year are already underway.
“Like most fundraisers, we’re a year ahead,’’ Biata said. “It has to be that way because of the way school year goes.’’
The Covid-19 pandemic, Biata, said has upset the fundraising timetable a bit, particularly on the golf side, “but golf is one of the few things we believe is going to be solid for us this year.’’
“Although we know discretionary income of people of people is going to be lower than in the past, it helps that golf is played outside. And even though there social distancing restrictions, golf is bouncing back.’’
To help with fundraising, Patriot Golf Day and PGA HOPE will host a joint fundraising campaign this coming Labor Day Weekend, Sept. 4-7. All golf fundraisers not hosted on Labor Day Weekend will be considered a Folds of Honor golf event.
PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is the military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America. PGA HOPE introduces golf to veterans with disabilities to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.
“It gives us an opportunity to say that are taking care of the entire military family,’’ Biata said. “Together this partnership is going to a level that we’ve never had before.’’
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