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 and will be held Nov. 20-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’re doing compared to other golfers 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 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 to 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 own homes.
“What a fantastic way to support an important cause,” said John Van Alstyne, CEO and president of I-CAR. “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.”
Added CREF Board of Trustees Chair and PPG Automotive Refinish Director of Business Development Tom Wolf, “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.”
“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,” said Brandon Eckenrode, director of development for CREF. “As collision instructors and students need the industry’s support now more than ever, we didn’t want 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.
For more information on the event, contact Brandon Eckenrode at brandon.eckenrode@ed foundation.org.
