Third Patriot Hockey Classic At MSU’s Munn Ice Arena Feb. 16
Michigan PGA Team, Detroit Red Wings Alumni Faceoff to Help Veterans
EAST LANSING – The golfers of the Michigan Section PGA, the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association (DRWAA) and a few other NHL friends are dropping the puck to help others.
For the third consecutive year the state’s PGA professional golfers will demonstrate they can play hockey, too, and help raise funds to aid veterans of the armed forces. The Third Patriot Classic is planned for Sunday, Feb. 16, at Michigan State University’s Munn Ice Arena.
Over $80,000 was raised in each of the first two years for charity, and this year’s funds will be presented to a trio of veteran’s service organizations that help Michigan veterans – PGA Reach Michigan, Folds of Honor and Spike’s K9.
The 1 p.m. game with two 25-minute run-time periods will feature a team made up of Michigan PGA golfer/hockey players taking on the Red Wings Alumni and a few other former NHL players.
Spectators will be admitted for free, and they will have an opportunity to donate to the service organizations.
Red Berenson, Jimmy Carson, Dino Ciccarelli, Jiri Fischer, Mike Knuble, Joe Kocur, John Ogrodnick, Darren McCarty, Kevin Miller, Craig Wolanin, Jason Woolley and others are among those scheduled to play for the Red Wings Alumni team.
Former NHL player Dean Kolstad, director of golf at Gull Lake View Golf Club & Resort near Kalamazoo, will take to the ice with a large contingent of other PGA professionals, including some who have collegiate, club, and even professional hockey experience like Brandon Scero (Salem Hills Golf Club), Doug Kreis (Battle Creek Country Club), Mark Versteeg-Lytwyn (Island Hills Golf Club) and Brandon Archibald (Port Huron Elks Lodge).
George Bowman, the PGA Head Golf Professional at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Clarkston, is also the secretary for the DRWAA and is leading the partnership effort for the game once again. He will serve as a goalie for the PGA and help with netminder duties for the Red Wings Alumni, too.
“Hockey players love to play golf, and a lot of golfers love to play hockey,” Bowman said. “We have some great sponsors who along with us believe in helping our veterans. The Red Wings are the stars on ice, and they do it for fun while helping a lot of groups each year raise money for charitable causes. And the PGA players get to fulfill a dream of playing hockey against some of the world’s finest professionals. It’s a win, win, especially for those of us who love hockey and doing things to help others like those who served our country.”
TO SPONSOR AND HELP VETERANS: Contact George Bowman, PGA Professional and Secretary of the DRWAA at 248-343-2589. https://www.nhl.com/redwings/team/alumni-association
ABOUT PGA REACH MICHIGAN: PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is the military pillar of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America, which includes the Michigan Section PGA. PGA HOPE introduces golf to veterans and active-duty military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. Learn more at What-is-PGA-HOPE-Flyer.pdf
ABOUT FOLDS OF HONOR: Folds of Honor provides life-changing scholarships to the spouses and children of America’s fallen or disabled military as well as America’s first responders. On our watch, those who protect our freedoms and our families know they are not forgotten. Visit www.foldsofhonor.org
ABOUT SPIKESK9: Spikes K9 Fund was founded by James Hatch, a retired Special Warfare Operator. As a K9 handler on several deployments, James’ life was regularly spared by the work of K9s – one of the most memorable was Spike. Visit www.spikesk9fund.org
TO DONATE AND LEARN MORE: Visit https://michiganpga.com/pga-reach-michigan/patriot-classic-charity-hockey-game/
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