Shaw Charity Classic shatters funding record
They must know by now to log this particular record in pencil.
The Shaw Charity Classic made history yet again in 2016, shattering its own standard for the largest charitable contribution by a PGA Tour Champions tournament with a total north of $5.2 million.
“That’s a pretty amazing number,” beamed Sean Van Kesteren, executive director for the annual birdie fest at Canyon Meadows Golf and Country Club. Indeed, it is. “Another record-setting year up in Calgary,” PGA Tour Champions president Greg McLaughlin said of Thursday’s announcement. “It’s remarkable, really. There’s a lot of work that goes into this, a lot of effort by a lot of people. You really don’t take it for granted because it’s not something that is done easily. It’s done with a lot of very hard work by a lot of dedicated people. I really applaud it. It is extraordinary, it really is.”
In just four years, the Shaw Charity Classic has now raised more than $13.8 million.
The latest loot — $5,217,713 to be exact — will be doled out to 124 youth-based charities across Alberta. According to estimates from those organizations, about 315,000 kids will benefit.
“That’s probably even more impactful than the actual dollar numbers of what we’re giving out,” Van Kesteren said. “It makes everybody feel good and it makes us work harder. It makes everybody focus because we know every late night, every weekend that not just our staff, but the patrons and Shaw and everybody puts into it, it’s all going to help the community. We should all be proud of that.”
Added Brad Shaw, CEO for the title sponsor: “When we started the Shaw Charity Classic in 2013, we imagined creating a platform to give back to the community, while providing a unique experience for Calgarians. Our imagination never got this big.”
So how does a three-round golf tournament raise more than $5 million for charity, even in a tough economy?
Shaw Communications got the ball rolling with a seven-digit donation — $700,000 to The Alex Community Health Centre, $300,000 to Kids Help Phone — long before Tom Watson, John Daly, eventual champion Carlos Franco and the rest of the senior stars arrived.
And folks from coast to coast chipped in to support the Birdie For Kids program, which is presented by AltaLink.
“We had 1,600 individual donors this year,” Van Kesteren said. “And it’s not just from Alberta now. We had people from every province in the country making donations and people from the U.S. making donations.
“And there’s certainly room to grow in the future, too. We’re going in a very good direction right now. Next year will be our fifth anniversary and our goal is certainly to surpass $5.2 million next year.”
At PGA Tour Champions headquarters, McLaughlin and his staff will have an eraser ready.
“What they continue to do in Calgary, really, it’s amazing,” McLaughlin said. “Everybody in that community and everybody that takes part in it should feel proud because it’s their support that has made this thing happen and that’s why it’s such a great event and that’s why our players are excited to play.
“It’s a model for our tour, there is no question about it.”