Drive for Dreams

In mid 2007, the EWGA Foundation launched a new outreach program called, "Drive For Dreams" to share our good fortune with those less fortunate through contributions of golf equipment and other resources needed to 'Give the Gift of Golf'.

The first fundraising campaign under this initiative was introduced in the fall of 2007 and donations collected were earmarked to benefit a girls golf school run by Kenya's only female golf professional, Rose Naliaka.  At the 2007 EWGA Conference at Amelia Island Plantation, conference attendees heard firsthand from Rose how she uses the game of golf to teach life lessons to girls who would otherwise lead a squalid existence in a country rife with HIV and illiteracy where the average life expectancy is only 47 years of age.

This first golf club collection campaign was a huge success.  EWGA members were immensely generous with their donations of golf clubs, shoes and other items.  These donations were sent to Kenya and after a long, long journey -amidst much political upheaval throughout Kenya - the girls finally received the donations.

In 2009, the EWGA Foundation's "Drive For Dreams" initiative was expanded to actually monetize golf club donations, turning unwanted, gently used golf clubs into cash donations to the EWGA Foundation based on their fair market trade-in values. The PGA of America and PGA Trade-in Network have been engaged to faciliate the process.

The 2010 "Drive For Dreams" initiative will benefit our nation's heroes through two PGA of America-inspired player development programs that serve our nation's injured veterans, along with their spouses and families, GIVE (Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere) and SMGA (Salute Military Golf Association).

The GIVE (Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere) Foundation, founded in 2007 and administered by the Iowa PGA, is a program designed to train veterans in the fundamentals of golf and to enhance their mental, social, physical, and emotional well-being and improve the quality of their life.  Injured veterans from World War II through today receive four phases of training:  Introduction to Golf; indoor instruction; outdoor practice; and golf rounds.  Additionally, veterans and their families receive free access to a course and practice range, along with free equipment.  To date, more than 300 veterans have completed the program, along with participating spouses and family members.

The SMGA (Salute Military Golf Association) was founded in 2004 by Jim Estes, a PGA Teaching Professional at Olney Golf Park in Olney, MD as a therapeutic outlet for soldiers undergoing prolonged medical treatment at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.  Today, SMGA provides recreational therapy, through the game of golf, to combat-wounded American soldiers injured in Iraq and Afghanistan in an effort to improve the lives of these American heroes.  To date, SMGA's efforts have provided nearly 400 combat-wounded soldiers with individualized player development programs, offering golf clinics, personal lessons, and specialized equipment as part of its outreach to improve the mental and physical condition of injured soldiers returning home from combat through the game of golf.

How EWGA Chapters & Members Can Participate in the EWGA Foundation's 2010 Drive for Dreams Initiative:

As EWGA Chapters host their 2010 kickoff events, league play, and Chapter Championship events, a fundraising component may be added to allow members to: (a) participate in an optional Rally-style ‘closest to the pin' event for a $20 entry fee to be collected at the Chapter event and submitted to Association Headquarters as their Chapter's 2010 Drive for Dreams contribution, or (b) get rid of unwanted golf clubs that will be turned into cash donations to the EWGA Foundation under its ‘Drive for Dreams' initiative.

Chapters may wish to consider hosting a 2010 Drive for Dreams event tied in to a patriotic theme - such as Memorial Day, 4^th of July, Patriot's Day, etc. wherein a optional ‘Drive for Dreams Closest to the Pin' or ‘Drive for Dreams Longest Putt' entry fee of $20 is collected from event participants and later submitted to EWGA Headquarters as part of the Chapter's Drive for Dreams fundraising efforts.  In addition to - or in lieu of a ‘closest to the pin' or ‘longest putt' fundraiser, Chapters may incorporate a used club donation drive into Chapter activities, utilizing the PGA of America's Trade-in Network and working with PGA staff at their event facilities to monetize club donations.

EWGA Headquarters will also be working with the PGA-staff at the host facilities of EWGA Championship Semi-finals and Finals to have collection receptacles on hand so that event participants, spectators, guests and friends may participate in the EWGA Foundation's 2010 ‘Drive for Dreams' club donation drive.

Donors receive a receipt for their donation which they can use when preparing their income tax returns just as donations to Goodwill and other charities are handled.

Turning golf club donations into cash is made possible through The PGA Trade-in Network, a PGA of America licensee program wherein participating PGA Trade-in Network facilities (there are over 6,000 nationwide) hosting EWGA events collect the golf club donations and then ship them to a liquidation outlet where the golf club donations are then turned into cash donations to the EWGA Foundation's Drive for Dreams Campaign.

EWGA Foundation 2010 "Drive For Dreams" Golf Club Donation Fact Sheet / Program Overview

Remember 1-2-3 When You Donate Clubs (criteria for accepting used clubs)

Used Golf Club Donation Receipt

For additional EWGA Foundation 2010 'Drive For Dreams' initiative program details, please submit an e-mail inquiry to foundation@myewga.com.