Fernando H. Green Blog: Folds of Honor

By John Barba

Seeing how today is Independence Day, we’d like to – in the spirit of the holiday – take a bit of a detour. Our normal fare is, of course, golf equipment-centric, but today’s blog may give you something to ponder before hitting the links to celebrate the 240^th birthday of the Red, White and Blue.

Imagine you’re on a flight home at the end of a long business trip. It’s late, you’re tired and the flight is bumpy. You finally touch down and what you want more than anything is to get off the plane and get in your car, go home and kiss the wife, hug the kids, pat the dog and climb into bed.

But as the plane approaches to the gate the pilot comes on the intercom and says the flight is carrying the remains of a young solder killed in action in the Middle East, and would the passengers please remain seated to allow his family to welcome him home one last time.

And imagine as you look out the window to watch the flag-draped casket lowered by conveyor belt, you see the young soldier’s 4-year old son in his grandmother’s arms, waiting for his father. You've heard the phrase "freedom isn't free" so often it's almost cliche. But seeing that boy who'll never play catch with his did, you finally realize just how high the price really is.

A Cause Is Born

What you just read is the spark that started Folds of Honor, a non-profit foundation dedicated to providing scholarships for the children of servicemen and women killed or disabled in action. The passenger on that plane was Major Dan Rooney, an Air National Guard fighter pilot and a PGA professional, and his “business” trip was his second tour of duty in Iraq.

Major Rooney decided right then and there to do what he could, so he organized a golf tournament to benefit Jacob Bucklin, the son of Corporal Brock Bucklin, who was killed in Iraq on May 31^st, 2006.

That first tournament raised $8,513.00 to fund a scholarship for Jacob, and thus began Folds of Honor and Patriot Golf Day.

“Patriot Golf Day is our flagship event and it’s the largest grass roots fundraiser in the United States,” says Tony Biata, VP of Patriot Golf Day for Folds of Honor as well as a PGA Professional. “We’re very proud of that distinction but we also realize it’s a big responsibility to take care of these families touched by war.”

Since that first event in 2006, Folds of Honor has awarded over 10,000 scholarships to the children and spouses of those killed or disabled in the line of duty. Last year’s Patriot Golf Day events raised over $6.4 million.

“I think we all have a duty to the people who are left behind, and the one thing that we Americans, never forget: it’s those who have sacrificed for us. If we honor their sacrifice, then a little bit of them stays alive with us. By honoring that life, we’re showing that life was given for a reason, and that it wasn’t wasted.” – Tony Biata

According to the Folds of Honor website, nearly 90% of the million-plus dependents adversely affected by deployments do not qualify for federal scholarship assistance. Folds of Honor’s mission statement is to fill that gap by, in their words, “Honoring their sacrifice, educating their legacy.”

Golf Industry Support

Within months of starting Folds of Honor, Major Rooney presented his program to the PGA’s annual meeting and appeared on CBS’s broadcast of the PGA Championship. Patriot Golf Day became an official happening over Labor Day Weekend in 2007.

By that time, sponsors such as Titleist, Bushnell and Golf Pride stepped up to become long term partners.

“For 2015, Bushnell gave us a check for $245,000, funded in part with proceeds from the sale of the Patriot Pack rangefinder kit,” says Biata. “Titleist does all kind of promotions for us, and last year gave us $100,000. And Golf Pride has donated over $100,000 to us over the years from the sale of their Patriot grips.”

“We wanted to provide golfers with something meaningful and something tangible. It’s a reminder to us as an organization and hopefully to people buying the product that we’re able to enjoy this game we love so much and freedom we have here because of what these men and women do to support our country.” - Jonathan Neal, Global Marketing Manager, Golf Pride

Grass Roots

Biata says over 400 official Patriot Golf Day events will take place this year, but he adds it’s the unofficial, grass roots efforts that he finds most gratifying. Among the most popular, and easiest to do, is a mid-summer golf marathon.

“You don’t need a big field of players, and you can raise a lot of money by taking pledges,” says Biata. “Go out and play as many holes of golf as you possibly can in a day to honor our service men and women.”

A pro at a course in North Carolina goes extreme with his golf marathon. Every year he paints the 18^th fairway with the names of all of fallen Americans from North Carolina, which always bring in TV crews and newspapers. And then he plays a 24-hour golf marathon.

“He starts at dusk and plays through the night with glow balls. He has lights on his golf cart so he doesn’t drive into a pond or anything. Last year he raised over $20,000 for us. Isn’t that amazing! That took care of 4 families. There are times when our troops go our and don’t get any rest – they have to stay on patrol for 24 hours with no sleep. It’s his way of honoring them” – Tony Biata

No One Left Behind

In addition to providing scholarships for college, graduate school or technical school, Folds of Honor is one of the few foundations of its kind that has a children’s fund, meaning they will actually help fund private education at the elementary school level if that’s the best solution for a family.

“We’ll take care of those kids, even in grammar school,” says Biata. “And when they’re ready for college, we got their backs there.”

Moms aren’t forgotten, either. Biata says often times a Mom who loses her husband is now the family’s sole breadwinner. Folds of Honor will help her go back to school as well.

“That’s our duty. We can speak for those folks who can no longer speak for themselves,” Biata adds. “We become their voice through taking care of their families, through not forgetting about them and the sacrifices they’ve made.”

Golf With A Purpose

Regardless of politics, most people would probably agree the world would be a better place if organizations such as Folds of Honor, Tee It Up For The Troops and The Wounded Warrior Project were unnecessary. But the reality is they are necessary and through the generosity of golfers across the US they are help the families of those who’ve given the ultimate sacrifice.

“Folks like myself, I’ve never put the uniform on,” says Biata. “But we have an opportunity to serve our country, and to serve those who’ve provided our freedom and the families they’ve left behind. Through golf, we haven an opportunity to be a Patriot.”

For more information on Patriot Golf Day, visit the Folds of Honor website.