Amateur PGA TOUR Americas

Thames Valley Children’s Centre named as official charity of Freedom 55 Financial Championship

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(Highlands Country Club)

Golf Canada in partnership with title sponsor Freedom 55 Financial and the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada announced today that the Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) will serve as the official charitable beneficiary of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, which will run September 14-20, 2015 at Highland Country Club in London, Ont.

Thames Valley Children’s Centre (TVCC) works to support children and their families to achieve the highest possible quality of life. TVCC serves more than 8000 children, youth and their families every year through a wide range of services provided out of the main London Centre and 15 regional office locations across Southwestern Ontario. Clients range in age from birth to 19 with services supporting a range of special needs including physical disabilities, communication disorders, developmental delays and autism spectrum disorders. Fifty-five percent of all ticket proceeds from the event will go towards supporting the TVCC.

“We endorse Golf Canada’s selection of Thames Valley Children’s Centre for the tournament’s charitable proceeds,” said Mike Cunneen, Senior Vice-President, Freedom 55 Financial.  “Through the annual London Life Forest City Road Races and the Freedom 55 Financial We’re All Stars event, our company has proudly supported the important work Thames Valley does to support children and families from London and across Southwestern Ontario. I applaud the tournament’s goal to raise funds and welcome the Children’s Centre and its supporters to Highland.”

“We are thrilled to be the charitable beneficiary for the Freedom 55 Financial Championship,” commented Dr. John LaPorta, CEO, Thames Valley Children’s Centre. “We are heartened that Golf Canada will not only focus on coordinating a stellar tournament but equally on a fundraising strategy that will benefit the more than 8,000 clients our Centre serves throughout Southwestern Ontario.”

“Children’s Health Foundation, the fundraising partner of TVCC, is excited to see Golf Canada taking such initiative to further strengthen TVCC’s ability to provide the very best rehabilitation services, positively impacting every aspect of our kids’ lives,” shares Susan Crowley, President and CEO of Children’s Health Foundation. “In partnership with community members, like Golf Canada and Freedom 55 Financial, we are contributing to care, research and rehabilitation that helps young people to be happy, healthy and strong.”

The 12th and final event on the Mackenzie Tour schedule will see the culmination of the race for Web.com Tour status at Highland Country Club. Only the top 60 players on the Order of Merit will be eligible, setting up an exciting race to the season’s final event.

The top five players on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit earn Web.com Tour status for the following season, with players finishing in spots 6th through 10th earning an exemption into the final stage and players finishing 11th through 20th into the second stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School.

In addition to serving as title sponsor of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, Freedom 55 Financial also sponsors the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week award presenting $2,500 to the top Canadian player at each Mackenzie Tour event as well as the season ending Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Year Award, which comes with a $25,000 prize.

Ryan Williams of Vancouver won the 2014 season ending championship along with both the Freedom 55 Financial Canadian Player of the Week and Canadian Player of the Year Awards.

Volunteer and ticket information is available at www.freedom55financialchampionship.com. As well, children aged 17 and under get in free all week long at the Freedom 55 Financial Championship – download your free junior tickets here.