The Central New York PGA successfully reached its goal during its 2023 Online PGA HOPE Campaign, raising $10,025. The campaign kicked off Oct. 11 and ended Nov. 30. Because the CNY PGA achieved its goal of $10,000, PGA REACH will be matching the $10,000 raised by the Section, giving the CNY PGA a total of $20,025 for local programs.

 

Our PGA HOPE program is under the PGA REACH Central New York umbrella. PGA REACH Central New York is the charitable foundation of the Section.

 

Nationally, the PGA HOPE campaign raised $415,355, exceeding its goal of $400,000. This annual campaign celebrates our nation’s heroes who protect our freedom, while raising awareness and support for PGA HOPE. Last year, the national PGA HOPE campaign raised $261,899 and $109,284 in 2021.

 

Through our fundraising efforts and financial support from other generous corporate sponsors, the CNY PGA will seek to further enhance the benefits to veterans and active-duty military participating in PGA HOPE programs throughout the Section including Turning Stone Resort Casino and the Binghamton region. The Section hopes to expand this program into the Watertown/Fort Drum region in the future.

 

Since 2017, Turning Stone Resort Casino has offered PGA HOPE programs, free to our both veterans and active-duty military. Turning Stone’s Ryan McGinnis, PGA has coordinated these programs which are offered four times a year with hundreds of veterans participating.

 

In 2023, Rick Keding, PGA (Binghamton CC), Jason Harris, PGA (Tioga GC) and Ryan Evans, PGA (Dick’s Sporting Goods) introduced PGA HOPE clinics and programs in the Section’s Southern Tier region.

 

PGA HOPE is designed to introduce golf to Veterans and Active-Duty Military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. PGA REACH and PGA HOPE aspire to create a physically and emotionally healthier Veteran community through a six- to eight-week curriculum led by PGA Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency.

 

The Section has two PGA HOPE Ambassadors: Peter Dziedzic and Eric Schuster.