Lt. Col. Dan Rooney's "Folds of Honor" charity carries a deep bond with the sport.
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Few charities are more beloved among those in the game of golf than Folds of Honor. The organization was founded in 2007 by a PGA member — F-16 fighter pilot Lt. Col. Dan Rooney — and has since used the sport as a catalyst for raising money for fallen and disabled members of the military and their families.
Earlier this year, we profiled American Dunes, a new Jack Nicklaus-designed public golf course in Michigan. Nicklaus and Rooney worked closely in concert in the development of the course, which commemorates the foundation’s birthplace.
But before American Dunes opens for public play on May 3, Folds of Honor will reach another important milestone. On March 31st, or in about two weeks’ time, the application window will close for the charity’s 14th year of college scholarships.
Since 2007, Folds of Honor has dolled out some 29,000 scholarships totaling more than $145 million. The charity’s scholarship fund grants awards of up to $5,000 per-year for eligible students, which includes students in K-12 private schools and those receiving post-secondary education at trade schools, technical colleges or four-year colleges and universities.
If you’re interested in applying, you can visit the Folds of Honor online portal to check your eligibility status and to view the charity’s application. For those looking to support a worthy cause, 91 percent of every dollar raised goes directly toward the scholarship program, which strives to equitably serve military families of all backgrounds.
James Colgan is a news and features editor at GOLF, writing stories for the website and magazine. He manages the Hot Mic, GOLF’s media vertical, and utilizes his on-camera experience across the brand’s platforms. Prior to joining GOLF, James graduated from Syracuse University, during which time he was a caddie scholarship recipient (and astute looper) on Long Island, where he is from. He can be reached at james.colgan@golf.com.