The award-winning Shaw Charity Classic announced an ambitious aim in Calgary on Wednesday: a goal of raising $10 Million for 182 Alberta children charities in 2018.
The tournament on PGA Tour Champions will use their Shaw “Birdies for Kids” program, supported by AltaLink, to attain this year’s goal.
Shaw has become the title sponsor of the charitable giving program and has donated one-million dollars to kickstart this year’s fundraising.
READ MORE: Shaw Charity Classic creates Birdies for Kids program
One of the charities that will benefit is the Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC).
Twenty-one-year-old Zaynah Hassan entered the program in Calgary when she was 19 and has been sober for 18 months. She says it’s amazing that the charity dollars will help others like her overcome addiction.
“I signed myself into AARC and the rigorous way that takes us through the steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is so important,” Hassan said. “I believe that AARC is a place that saves lives and it really is — it saved my life.”
Hassan and her development officer from AARC, Darryl Power, were on hand at Canyon Meadows on Wednesday for the announcement. Power says treating addiction is very expensive.
“It’s expensive to treat families and to treat youth,” he said. “We’re a long-term addiction centre and the funds raised will be used to subsidize the treatment cost for families that can’t afford to pay the full treatment fees.”
Over $22 million has been raised for charity in the five years since the Shaw Charity Classic started in Calgary.
This year’s event runs from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2 at Canyon Meadows Golf Club.
READ MORE: Scott McCarron returning to Calgary to defend golf title
Comments