Patriot Golf Day Honors Sacrifices Of Military Men And Women

DETROIT (WWJ) - This Labor Day weekend Americans will have a compelling and easy way to pay tribute to the sacrifices of military veterans and their families, through the Fifth Annual Patriot Golf Day, the largest annual grassroots golf event in the country.

The idea behind the effort is simple, during Labor Day weekend, Sept. 2-5, golfers across the country are encouraged to add $1 or more to their greens fees.

In the past four years, more than $8.9 million has been raised during the event and more than 2,100 scholarships have been awarded through the Folds of Honor Foundation, a national nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and other educational assistance to the children and spouses of fallen and disabled service members.

This year more than 4,000 golf courses across the country will participate in the effort. Over 200 courses in Michigan are participating. Click here to find a participating course near you.

The needs of military families is great, as there are more than 250,000 dependents of fallen and wounded military service men and women from the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts alone, and 87 percent of those dependents do not qualify for federal educational assistance.

Patriot Golf Day allows the Folds of Honor Foundation to present an ongoing tribute to our brave service members by ensuring that the families of fallen and wounded warriors have hope for the right educational start to life and best future possible.

Four years ago, Major Dan Rooney, a PGA Professional, USGA member and former F-16 military pilot with the Oklahoma Air National Guard, founded the Folds of Honor Foundation following his second of three tours of duty in Iraq.