The amalgamation of groups and individuals from throughout golf industry who have been making forays into Washington, D.C., during the past several years is making an impact.
The National Park Service will present its group award for "Outstanding Volunteer Service" to the We Are Golf coalition for their work in National Golf Day's Community Service Project on April 30.
In April, the coalition participated in the third-annual community service project, which was coordinated by Michael Stachowicz, turfgrass specialist for the National Park Service and a former golf course superintendent, and was part of the 12th annual National Golf Day. More than 200 participants helped lay sod, rake, edge, over seed, aerate, mow, mulch, plant flowers and prune shrubs across 18 projects along the National Mall, including at the Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the U.S. Capitol.
Under the banner of We Are Golf, an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, this year's National Golf Day also resulted in 244 meetings with members of Congress from 41 states to discuss the game’s $84 billion economy that employs 2 million people and annually contributes almost $4 billion charitable organizations nationwide.
We Are Golf includes representatives from the World Golf Foundation, U.S. Golf Association, Club Managers Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association, PGA of America, Golf Course Builders Association of America, The First Tee, PGA Tour, Ladies Professional Golf Association, National Alliance for Accessible Golf, Sports and Fitness Industry Association, GCSAA and more.
The 2020 Community Service Project on the National Mall is scheduled for May 5.