To raise additional support for high school and college collision school programs, the Collision Repair Education Foundation (CREF) will be collaborating with 90 I-CAR volunteer committee groups nationwide on a winter virtual golf fundraiser, exclusively sponsored by PPG Automotive. This event will be a private tournament within TopGolf’s online game, which will be held from Friday, Nov. 20 through Sunday, Dec. 20. Golfers will be able to play an unlimited number of rounds of virtual golf during those 30 days, while viewing an in-game leaderboard to see how they are doing compared to others golfing from around the country.
To help raise additional funds for local collision school programs, when paying their $25 registration fee online, golfers will be able to select one of the 90 participating I-CAR volunteer committees and $20 of their registration fee will be reinvested into collision schools in that specific market.
Ford Performance Racing School has donated two passes, a $4,000 value, that will be awarded to the virtual gofer with the best score at the end of the tournament.
The 90 I-CAR volunteer committees will be promoting this fundraiser not only to their local industry members, but also the general public as the more local virtual golfers that participate, the more funding will be raised for their local collision school programs. Also, with the event being virtual, zero golfing skill is required, and golfers can play from the comfort of their home.
I-CAR CEO & President John Van Alstyne said, “What a fantastic way to support an important cause. A couple I-CAR committees worked with CREF to innovate their normal golf outing fundraisers in the face of COVID earlier this year with great success, and the same can be expected here. I-CAR committees across the U.S. are increasingly focused on supporting career technical schools as our industry seeks more qualified and capable talent. This event will be a fun and easy way to support that goal.”
Tom Wolf, CREF board of trustees chair and PPG Automotive Refinish director of business development noted, “PPG is proud to continue supporting CREF’s efforts to help collision programs, students, and instructors and this is a creative way to get not only the industry, but general public supporting their local schools. While we are limited on the number of golfers that attend our annual CREF summer golf fundraiser, this virtual event allows for thousands to participate, knowing that their registration fee will be reinvested back into their local schools.”
CREF Director of Development, Brandon Eckenrode noted, “We are excited about how this one event will bring together 90 I-CAR volunteer committees nationwide and through their local promotion of the event, the more support can be raised for collision schools. As collision instructors and students need the industry’s support now more than ever, we didn’t want the fact that in-person fundraisers not being possible to stop us from coming together for the future professionals of the industry.”
Registration is now open online. Industry members not located near one of the participating I-CAR Volunteer Committees can select “CREF General Fund” when registering and their registration fee will help CREF collision school programs, instructors and students nationwide. Registrants can download the free TopGolf online game to their phone, tablet, or desktop and start practicing their virtual golf swing prior to the Nov. 20 tee-off, when registered players will be given instructions on how to access the private in-game tournament. Questions regarding the fundraiser can be directed to CREF director of development Brandon Eckenrode.
