Retailer’s Annual Charity Classic Raises Awareness of Leading Cancer Threat to Men
(TORONTO) – Golf Town – Canada’s largest golf retailer with unequaled selection and competitive prices at 39 locations coast to coast – announces it has surpassed $1 million in donations to the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada (PCRFC) with Monday’s annual Charity Classic golf tournament at Copper Creek Golf Club in Kleinburg, ON.
An official partner in the PCRFC’s “Drive for a Cure” campaign, Golf Town has raised awareness of the leading cancer threat to Canadian men via events like its Charity Classic and Golf Town Invitational. In the process, it has become a national leader in support of cutting-edge research to fight the disease and one of the largest charitable givers in the country’s golf industry.
“Prostate cancer is a tremendous threat to our community, and in the five years since we partnered with the PCRFC, we have worked hard to help the one-in-seven men currently affected by the disease,” says Stephen Bebis, President and CEO of Golf Town. “Our commitment to the cause extends beyond financial contributions, and also includes a campaign to raise awareness, beginning with free screening exams for all of our employees.”
Since 2003, Golf Town has helped to finance numerous research projects likely to shape the delivery of prostate cancer care in the future with bold, innovative approaches to prevention, detection and treatment. Specifically, the retailer’s donations have helped fund studies aimed at discovering a vaccine to shrink existing tumors and prevent future illness, improving the effectiveness of chemotherapy and lengthening the lives of men with advanced stages of the disease.
“We applaud Golf Town’s initiative in raising the bar for corporate Canada in the area of prostate cancer research support,” says John Blanchard, former President and CEO of the PCRFC. “We also thank them for working to educate their staff, customers and the public regarding the threat of this disease, which will affect nearly 25,000 Canadian men this year alone.”
Since opening its first store in 1999, Golf Town has donated more than $2 million to a variety of causes. In addition to its partnership with the PCRFC, the company’s philanthropy is highlighted by its ‘Chips In’ initiative, which provides $100 in gift certificates to all qualifying nonprofit golf tournaments nationwide.
Golf Town offers an unbeatable selection of clubs, bags, balls, apparel, footwear, accessories, gifts, logo merchandise, promotional services and more. This includes the world’s leading golf brands, such as Adams, Bridgestone, Callaway Golf, Cleveland, Cobra, Dunning, ECCO, FootJoy, Founders Club, Gordon Cooper, Greg Norman, Honma, Hugo Boss, LaCoste, Liz Claiborne, LIJA, Mizuno, Nike Golf, Odyssey, Ogio, Paradise, Ping, Sun Mountain, TaylorMade adidas Golf, Titleist and Wilson.
For more information, please visit www.golftown.com or call 905.479.0343. To learn more about prostate cancer and various ways to help, please visit www.prostatecancer.ca.
About Golf Town
Founded in 1999, Golf Town is Canada’s largest golf retailer with 39 retail centres across the country. With an average size of nearly 18,000 square feet, these superstores serve as sanctuaries where players of all ages and abilities try, buy, learn about and improve their games.
A centre of the Canadian golf community for individuals and organizations, Golf Town guarantees customers find what they want, when they want it at the best price. Each store features all of the major brand-name golf clubs, bags, balls, apparel, footwear, accessories, gifts, professional services and more.
Golf Town has also established Canada’s leading customer advantage initiative via its Leaderboard Membership Privileges Program. Benefits of this free membership include the chance to win a $500 gift card in a national monthly draw, timely e-newsletters to keep players up to date on the latest and greatest in golf; members-only special offers on equipment, accessories, golf lessons and more; advance notice of new equipment releases and opportunities for private test drives; invitations to exclusive in-store events; in-store exchanges or returns made easier than ever thanks to a member-purchase tracking program; and a special introductory offer just for joining.
Among the largest charitable givers in the Canadian golf industry, Golf Town is an official partner with the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada (www.prostatecancer.ca) in the Drive for a Cure. Through its ‘Chips In’ donation program, the company also supports charitable golf tournaments of all sizes that are devoted to enhancing the lives of children, families and the community.
About the PCRFC
The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada is the leading national organization devoted solely to eliminating the threat of prostate cancer. Its mission is to fund research into the causes, cure, and prevention of the disease. Prostate cancer is the number one cancer threat to Canadian men. It will afflict one in seven men in their lifetime. The Foundation is committed to changing this reality. For information about prostate cancer or the Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada, visit www.prostatecancer.ca.
Contact:
Kevin Satz
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3394
ksatz@billycaspergolf.com
