JOHN DEERE DONATE $1M To The First Tee golf charity
John Deere is now a Trustee of The First Tee, a non-profit youth organisation that provides life skills and character education programs to young people using golf as a platform in the US.
The official announcement was made recently at the Golf Industry Show by James M.Field, president of John Deere's Worldwide Agriculture and Turf Division, and Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee.
John Deere will donate $1 million over five years to The First Tee, further emphasising Deere's active commitment to the game of golf and the career development of professionals in the golf maintenance industry. The donation is consistent with the Deere & Company's various citizenship initiatives which target education, training, and community enrichment.
The $1million donation will be used to enhance the experience of The First Tee participants in a variety of ways. Besides supporting The First Tee network, funds will be used to create and launch a golf maintenance career-oriented youth development program, in conjunction with the PGA TOUR. Local chapters of The First Tee will partner with the TOUR's Tournament Player Courses (TPC) to provide the opportunity for high school-aged participants to learn about topics in agronomy and golf course maintenance careers. As a planned extension, participants will also have the chance to experience what it's like to maintain a TPC golf course during a tournament week.
In addition, a portion of the donation will be dedicated to funding development programs connected to the John Deere Classic - a PGA TOUR event held each year near the company's World Headquarters in Moline, Illinois.
"At The First Tee, we rely on strong partners like John Deere Golf to help us carry out our ambitious efforts to reach 10 million additional young people between 2011 and 2017," said Joe Louis Barrow, chief executive, The First Tee. "We're thankful that in addition to their substantial donation, John Deere will help us develop a program to teach our participants about turf care and what it means to be a leader in the golf industry."
