Damon Allen, Jude St. John and Bryan Crawford have stepped forward for the Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) in
partnership with the ALS Society of Ontario to create a new charitable
initiative entitled Golf 4 ALS.
The RCGA and ALS
Society of Ontario will be selling RCGA Golf Cards online with proceeds
benefiting the ALS Society of Ontario. As part of the program, Damon
Allen, Jude St. John and Bryan Crawford have signed on with the ALS
Society of Ontario as official Golf 4 ALS spokesmen.
Also part of the program is the Golf 4 ALS Par-3 Challenge,
which will see the ALS Society of Ontario set up on-course kiosks at
participating RCGA Golf Card courses across Ontario in May and June of
this year. Golfers who make a donation to the ALS Society of Ontario
will receive an RCGA Golf Card, the opportunity to win a free golf
getaway to Ireland and a special gift.
“The RCGA is proud to
partner with such a significant organization in the fight against this
devastating disease,” said Ron Gardner, the RCGA’s managing director of
membership strategy. “Our goal with Golf 4 ALS is to help the
ALS Society raise essential funds which provide the necessary equipment
and support services to those living with ALS.”
ALS, also known as Lou
Gehrig’s disease, is a rapidly progressing and fatal neuromuscular
disease that causes degeneration of the motor neurons in the brain and
spinal cord. More than 80 per cent of those diagnosed with ALS die
within two to five years of symptom onset. Every day, two to three
Canadians are diagnosed with ALS, and every day, two to three Canadians
die from the disease. There is no cure or effective treatment and the
cause is unknown.
“We are fighting an
incurable disease that devastates families physically, emotionally and
financially,” said Maureen Sheahan, president & CEO of the ALS
Society of Ontario. “We are very excited about this new partnership
with the RCGA. We hope to raise significant new dollars to support
families with ALS from across the province. Damon, Jude and Bryan are
true champions on and off the field and it’s great to have them helping
to build awareness for the program and the disease.”
The ALS Society of
Ontario has also joined forces with the Yonge-Bay-Bloor Business
Association in Toronto, the Queen’s University Football Club in
Kingston, Ont., and will be selling RCGA Golf Cards during the WALK for
ALS in 25 communities across Ontario to help grow the proceeds from Golf 4 ALS even further.
The RCGA Golf Card is
a web-based rewards program designed specifically for golfers. The
program rewards golfer loyalty at participating golf courses by
offering RCGA Golf Card members a free round of golf with every five
rounds paid. They also receive one 50 per cent off trial voucher for
every participating golf club in the program. In addition, RCGA Golf
Card members can redeem their AIR MILES reward miles for rounds of golf
at any participating course.
By the start of the golf season, there will be more than 150 participating golf courses in Ontario and Western Canada.
RCGA Golf Cards, in support of ALS, are available through the Golf 4 ALS program by visiting www.rcga.org/ALS and using promotional code 08als01 or by calling the ALS Society of Ontario toll-free at 1-866-611-8545.
