Goal of the program is to increase
affordable access to the game of golf for youth
across Canada
TORONTO, Aug. 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ - Today, RBC and
Golf Canada announced the RBC Community Junior Golf Program, an
initiative that will focus on building greater diversity and equity
in golf by enabling affordable access to the game for youth in
underrepresented communities in Canada. PGA TOUR professional golfer
Harold Varner III will join Team RBC
and serve as an ambassador for the new program.
As part of the RBC Community Junior Golf Program, Golf
Canada will implement the First Tee – Canada and Youth on
Course programs at municipal and especially
accessible public golf courses across Canada. By 2023, the
program is expected to engage more than 10,000 young
people by delivering free First Tee programing,
which integrates the game of golf with life skills
curriculum and $5 Youth on Course green fees to
select courses from coast to coast.
As founder of the HV3 Foundation and National Ambassador
for Youth on Course, Varner will lend his expertise as an advisor
to the RBC Community Junior Golf Program. In September 2021, Varner will host the program's
launch event at a GTA-based golf course, where youth from
traditionally underserved communities will have the opportunity to
spend time with Varner, learning tips from the pro and benefiting
from on-course programming.
"I am thrilled to be joining the Team RBC family and to partner
with an organization whose values match my own, including providing
young people with affordable access to sport and playing an active
role in populating a more diverse pipeline of golf talent," said
Harold Varner III, Team RBC
ambassador. "Through my work with young people, I understand
the positive impact sport can have on a young person's life. It can
open doors and present opportunities that otherwise wouldn't be
possible. It is an absolute honour to be an ambassador for the RBC
Community Junior Golf Program while joining the elite group of
players on Team RBC."
"As a long-standing supporter of golf, RBC is proud
to launch a program that will help increase diversity,
inclusivity and access to the game of golf," said Mary DePaoli, Executive Vice-President and Chief
Marketing Officer, RBC. "We believe in ensuring everyone has equal
opportunity to realize their full potential
and we look forward to
bringing this program to life with the support
of Harold Varner III, our newest Team RBC ambassador and
someone who is equally as passionate about working with youth as we
are."
One of the important ways RBC brings its purpose of helping
client thrive and communities prosper to life is by empowering
youth. RBC Future Launch is the bank's $500 million commitment to help Canadian youth
prepare for the jobs of tomorrow, including $50 million in focused funding to create
meaningful and transformative pathways to prosperity for 25,000
BIPOC youth by 2025. In addition, through the RBC Heritage and RBC
Canadian Open tournaments, RBC has helped raise over $25 million in support of local charities in
Canada and the United States.
With 14 Canadian, U.S. and international ambassadors, including
World No. 2 Dustin Johnson and World
No. 7 Brooke Henderson, Varner joins
a team of touring professionals that embodies the pinnacle of golf
performance. Along with wearing RBC branding on his golf bag,
Varner and his RBC teammates support many of the bank's marketing
initiatives and client experiences.
"Evolving the participant base of Canadian golf so it matches
the diversity of multicultural Canada is an important priority," said
Kevin Blue, Chief Sport Officer of
Golf Canada. "We're eager to partner with RBC to help increase
access to junior golf, especially for youth from backgrounds that
historically have been underserved. By bringing First Tee –
Canada and Youth on Course to the
most accessible golf courses in Canada, the RBC Community Junior Golf program
will help us make sure golf is welcoming to all Canadian
youth."
About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with
a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading
performance. Our success comes from the 86,000+ employees who
leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision,
values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and
communities prosper. As Canada's
biggest bank, and one of the largest in the world based on market
capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus
on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17
million clients in Canada, the
U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com.
We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives
through donations, community investments and employee volunteer
activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact.
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SOURCE RBC