WINNIPEG – Golf Manitoba is excited to announce that the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has again committed to support junior golf programming and the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame in 2020. The Foundation has agreed to make a $70,000 donation with the proceeds to benefit grassroots and high-performance junior golf programs, the University of Manitoba Bison Golf program and the annual induction ceremony conducted by the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum. In 2019, the Foundation made a $60,000 donation with the proceeds also targeted to the above mentioned programs.
In 2018, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was established with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation will eventually commit a total of $3 million dollars to an endowment that will aid in supporting the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming.
“We are delighted that the Foundation has again provided us with a tremendous opportunity for the coming year” said Ken Warwick, President of Golf Manitoba. “With the donation, we will look to continue with the momentum from 2019 and further expand our ability to grow the sport and support our high-performing athletes.”
In 2019, the donation made an immediate impact in the grow-sport programming offered by Golf Manitoba. A significant portion of the proceeds were directed to the Golf in Schools program where over 9,800 early years students were introduced to the golf through clinics conducted at over 40 schools across Manitoba. Additionally, the donation provided enhanced funding to Golf Manitoba inter-provincial junior teams with 18 juniors representing Manitoba in national championships and inter-provincial competitions.
In addition to the above, Golf Manitoba provided funding to external junior golf programs including the Boys and Girls Club program at Bridges Golf Club, the PGA of Canada Manitoba Zone Future Pros program and junior development programs provided by Golf Mentor. Again for 2020, existing junior golf programs will be able to apply for funding which will be evaluated by Golf Manitoba to determine eligibility with further announcements to follow.
Additionally, proceeds from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation will provide support to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame which recognizes and celebrates those who have made extraordinary contributions in the Manitoba golf community as well as nationally and internationally. A goal of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is to make known the achievements of its Honoured Members and Teams to serve as inspiration to future generations which is consistent with the goals of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation to support junior golf. The 2020 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in late September.
The donation from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation will again be made through the Manitoba Fund within the Golf Canada Foundation, a fund dedicated to providing development opportunities for juniors in the province of Manitoba. For more information about the Manitoba Fund and how your contribution can help to grow the sport of golf, please contact Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director for Golf Manitoba at jared@golfmb.ca or at 204.925.5729.
About Alex & Peggy Colonello:Peggy Colonello served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association in 1974 – 76 and was an active participant at her home course, the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, where she and husband Alex had been members since the 1940s.
Peggy also served a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.
Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941 where, in 1949, Bay Bronze Company asked him to start a machinery division for them. Alex eventually bought control of the company in 1973 becoming President until his retirement in 1996. In 1998, Alex purchased the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.
About Golf Manitoba: Golf Manitoba is recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization and governing body of amateur for golf in the province. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario for the benefit of all participants.
About Golf Canada Foundation: Founded in 1979 with the purpose to raise and grant funds for the advancement of golf in Canada. As a registered Canadian Amateur Association, the Foundation delivers this mandate by awarding scholarships to Canadian student golfers and distributing grants to support initiatives that fall into five key areas:
Junior Golf
Collegiate Golf
Women’s Golf
High Performance Golf
Heritage
In 2019, the Foundation granted $1.5 million to programs nationwide which brings our total to more than $8.9 million since 2012, and $10.3 million invested in the sport since the Foundation’s inception.
For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca
Future Links driven by Acura Golf in Schools campaign will officially come to a close on June 28, 2019. Created by Golf Canada in partnership with PGA of Canada and Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada), the Golf in Schools program brings the game of golf to Canadian Schools and is regionally administered by Golf Manitoba. The program has been developed to provide students the opportunity to develop aspects of “physical literacy” related to the sport of golf, and increase student knowledge and appreciation for the sport.
Since the start of May, NCCP and PGA of Canada certified
Community Golf Coaches have visited over 45 local schools and have introduced approximately 7,000 early years students to the game of golf. The lessons delivered through the Golf in Schools program help students to learn within specific skill themes including movement skills, health-related fitness, skill-related fitness and life skills and all in relation to golf. With less than 1% of elementary school populations playing golf, the ultimate goal of the Golf in Schools program is to change this statistic and offer students the opportunity to develop a skill set and have experiences that will encourage and support their lifelong participation in golf.
Moving into the summer months, Golf Manitoba will continue to deliver Future Links junior golf programming to community centres and rural golf courses through Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario.
In addition to the support of Acura Canada, the regional Golf in Schools program received funding support from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.
For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca
Local Teachers Become Manitoba’s Newest Community Golf Coaches
Winnipeg, MB – Physical Education Teachers from the Seven Oaks School Division and staff from the Lorette Golf Course are the newest members to receive PGA of Canada Community Golf Coach training. PGA of Canada golf professional and Community Golf Coach Facilitator Glen Sirkis, lead the session at the Sport Manitoba Sport for Life Centre on Thursday, May 16.
The PGA of Canada’s Community Golf Coach training workshop is designed for the individual who works with children or youth to introduce the basic skills of golf to them. The workshop helps to prepare Coaches to run Future Links, driven by Acura programs by focusing on a variety of coaching components from the basic rules and etiquette of golf, safety, equipment, using modified games and of course teaching the basic skills of golf.
The training session is a new initiative from Golf Manitoba that is focusing on sport development in the school system. By training and certifying educators and community leaders, Golf Manitoba is able to expand its Golf in Schools capacity thereby introducing more young girls and boys to the sport with physical literacy in mind. The training initiative was made possible by funding from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation.
Community Golf Coach workshops are administered by Golf Manitoba and delivered by PGA of Canada Community Golf Coach Facilitators. For more information, please contact Garth Goodbrandson, Director of Player Development at garth@golfmb.ca.
About Future Links, Driven by Acura
Future Links, Driven by Acura gives children ages 6-18 the chance to enjoy and learn the game of golf via affordable and accessible programs that align and support the principles of golf’s long-term player development guide, which has been endorsed by Sport Canada. More than one million junior golfers have successfully participated in Future Links, Driven by Acura programming since its inception in 1996.
For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204-925-5730
jared@golfmb.ca
WINNIPEG – (Golf Manitoba) Golf Manitoba is proud to announce that the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation has donated $60,000 to Golf Manitoba to support junior golf programming and the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame. Working cooperatively with the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation, Golf Manitoba will apply the donation to benefit grassroots and high-performance junior golf programs, the University of Manitoba Bison Golf female and male programs and the annual induction ceremony conducted by the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame and Museum.
In 2018, the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was established with a mandate to support junior golf in the province of Manitoba. The Foundation will eventually commit a total of $3 million dollars to an endowment that will aid in supporting the development of new generations of golfers through grassroots golf initiatives and high-performance programming.
“We are extremely excited about the impact the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation will have in supporting and growing the sport of golf in the province,” said Vince Mariani, President of Golf Manitoba. “As far as we know, this type of personal commitment to golf, and amateur sport for that matter, is unprecedented in Manitoba.”
“For 2019, the donation will have an immediate impact on our regional Golf in Schools program, a key grassroots program that delivers basic golf skills instruction through the school system,” said Jared Ladobruk, Executive Director of Golf Manitoba. “More funding means we can expand our capacity and visit more schools thereby introducing more young people to golf. The increased funding gives us the ability to train and certify early years educators who will then be able to deliver basic golf skills instruction as part of physical education programing. By training and certifying educators, we expand our Golf in Schools capacity and can now introduce more young girls and boys to the sport of golf with physical literacy in mind. Linking golf to physical literacy I believe is an opportunistic area for the future of the sport and hopefully this serves to grow the game even further.”
“Another key area of golf benefiting from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation is Golf Manitoba’s interprovincial junior golf teams,” added Ladobruk. “This new funding will offset the costs of travel and equipment for the girls and boys who have earned the right to represent Manitoba in national competitions conducted by Golf Canada. This generous funding will reduce the financial barriers that come with participation in national competitions and will mean that Golf Manitoba’s best young golfers will not be denied the opportunity to compete against the nation’s best due to financial constraints.”
The University of Manitoba Bison Golf Program will also benefit from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Funding will be allocated to support both the men’s and women’s programs. The Bison Golf Program is celebrating its 20th year in 2019 and the program is entirely self-funded through sponsorships and donations.
Golf Manitoba will now also fund external junior golf charitable programs through the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation. Existing junior golf programs will be able to apply for funding which will be evaluated by Golf Manitoba to determine eligibility with further announcements to follow.
Additionally, proceeds from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation donation will provide support to the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame which recognizes and celebrates those who have made extraordinary contributions in the Manitoba golf community as well as nationally and internationally. A goal of the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame is to make known the achievements of its Honoured Members and Teams to serve as inspiration to future generations which is consistent with the goals of the Alex and Peggy Colonello Foundation to support junior golf. The 2019 induction ceremony is scheduled to take place in late September.
The donation from the Alex & Peggy Colonello Foundation was facilitated through the Golf Canada Foundation and its partnership with Golf Manitoba. Golf Canada Foundation is a Registered Canadian Athletic Amateur Association (RCAAA), and as such is recognized by the Canadian Revenue Agency as a qualified donee. Gifts received by Golf Canada Foundation qualify for an official donation receipt.
About Alex & Peggy Colonello:Peggy Colonello served as president of the Manitoba Ladies’ Golf Association in 1974 – 76 and was an active participant at her home course, the Elmhurst Golf & Country Club, where she and husband Alex had been members since the 1940s.
Peggy also served a two-year term as president of the Canadian Ladies’ Golf Association from 1982-83. During her time on the national executive, Peggy attended World and Commonwealth championships in Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Columbia, Britain and Switzerland, including the various Canadian events in which she participated. Peggy was inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 and was an inaugural inductee into the Manitoba Golf Hall of Fame on September 29, 2003.
Alex Colonello first moved to Winnipeg in 1941 where, in 1949, Bay Bronze Company asked him to start a machinery division for them. Alex eventually bought control of the company in 1973 becoming President until his retirement in 1996. In 1998, Alex purchased the golf accessory line from Bayco Industries to form Bayco Golf Inc. Alex Colonello passed away in 2013 at the age of 93.
About Golf Manitoba: Golf Manitoba is the governing body for golf in the province of Manitoba and North West Ontario. Its mission is to develop, promote, govern and service the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario for the benefit of all participants.
Recognized by Sport Manitoba as the Provincial Sport Organization for golf in the province, Golf Manitoba is responsible for promoting participation in and a passion for the sport of golf in Manitoba and North West Ontario. Golf Manitoba is also involved in national golf events through its affiliation with Golf Canada.
About the Golf Canada Foundation: The Golf Canada Foundation is the leading source for Golf Philanthropy in Canada, awarding more than $7.76 million in grants and scholarships since inception in 1979. Golf Canada Foundation’s mission is to inspire young players to build strong core values and character while living a healthy lifestyle. Golf Canada Foundation is a Registered Canadian Athletic Amateur Association (RCAAA), and as such is recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency as a qualified donee. A qualified donee is an organization that can receive gifts and issue official donation receipts for those gifts.
For more information:
Jared Ladobruk
Executive Director
Golf Manitoba
204.925.5729
jared@golfmb.ca
From April 22-26, Golf Canada will be celebrating all donations made towards the Future Links, driven by Acura Golf in Schools program in support of the third annual Adopt a School Week.
The week represents a coast-to-coast celebration to mark the efforts of all Golf in Schools adoptions. Since the program’s inception in 2009, adoptions have accounted for close to 50% of the over 3,800 registered schools delivering the curriculum. Together, Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), and all provincial partners have aligned to celebrate the generosity of golf enthusiasts across the country.
“Golf Canada recognizes the many investments made by Canadians across the country in support of the Golf in Schools program,” said Jeff Thompson, Golf Canada’s chief sport officer. “It is in the industry’s best interest to support the continued growth of the sport at the grassroots level, which in turn benefits the future membership of facilities.”
For the first 30 adoptions, any golf facility, PGA of Canada professional or individual who adopts a school into the Golf in Schools program from April 22-26 will see their adoption matched with a school of their choice. This matching grant is possible due to Golf Canada’s partnership with the Canadian Seniors Golf Association (CSGA).
In 2018, 263 new schools were adopted, introducing an average of 120 students per school to golf.
A Golf in Schools donation includes the full program kit, which features safe, age-appropriate golf clubs along with a teacher-friendly learning resource. Developed in conjunction with the PGA of Canada and Physical Health Education (PHE) Canada, the learning resource incorporates Life Skills into the curriculum—placing added focus on transferrable skills both on and off the golf course.
The Intrapersonal Life Skills—perseverance, goal-setting and emotional regulation—are meant to instill focus while the Interpersonal Life Skills—honesty, teamwork and respect—embody a sense of sportspersonship.
Following Adopt a School Week, Golf Canada will be announcing all elementary, intermediate and high school adoptions conducted in 2019.
The 2019 spring 
Since the start of May, NCCP and PGA of Canada certified 
