RCGA Golf Card And ALS Society Of Ontario Tee Up “Golf 4 ALS” Charitable Program

The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is pleased to announce it has partnered 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 of the Toronto Argonauts have signed on with the ALS Society of Ontario as official Golf 4 ALS spokespersons.

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 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.

ABOUT THE ALS SOCIETY OF ONTARIO
The ALS Society of Ontario is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the necessary equipment and support services to people living with ALS. By engaging in advocacy, education and awareness building, the Society aims to increase quality of life and provide independence, dignity, hope and choice to people with ALS. Visit www.alsont.ca for more information on ALS and the ALS Society of Ontario.

ABOUT RCGA GOLF CARD™
The RCGA Golf Card is a loyalty card program offering golfers free rounds and other rewards in exchange for frequent play and spending at participating golf courses across Ontario and western Canada. Owned and operated by the Royal Canadian Golf Association, the RCGA Golf Card has an alliance with the AIR MILES® Reward Program, enabling AIR MILES collectors to redeem their reward miles for membership cards and free rounds at participating RCGA Golf Card courses. RCGA Golf Cards may be purchased at participating courses, select Golf Town, Canadian Tire and Wal-Mart stores or by visiting www.rcga.org and clicking on the RCGA Golf Card banner.

ABOUT THE ROYAL CANADIAN GOLF ASSOCIATION
The Royal Canadian Golf Association (RCGA) is the governing body of golf in Canada, representing 377,000 members at 1,600 clubs across the country. Recognized by Sport Canada as the National Sports Organization (NSO) for golf in this country, the RCGA’s mission is to grow participation in and passion for the sport while upholding the integrity and traditions of the game. The RCGA conducts programs and services to help shape the future of golf in Canada. High performance athlete development, Rules of Golf and amateur status, handicapping and course rating, turfgrass and environmental research, the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame and Museum and CN Future Links, Canada’s national junior golf program, are only some of the initiatives the association leads for golf in Canada. In addition, the RCGA conducts Canada’s most prestigious golf championships. The RBC Canadian Open and CN Canadian Women’s Open attract the best professional golfers in the world, while regional junior and national amateur championships showcase the best in Canadian golf.

For further information on what the RCGA is doing to support golf in your community please visit www.rcga.org. 		CANADIAN GOLF NEWS

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