THE LONNIE NIELSEN LEARNING CENTER A SAFE PLACE WHERE MILITARY, YOUTH AND DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS LEARN HARD WORK, INTEGRITY, RESPECT AND HONESTY THROUGH THE GAME OF GOLF
Positively Impacting Lives Through Golf
WHO WE ARE AND WHAT OUR MISSION IS
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The Problems 22 Veterans Commit Suicide Per Day Our veterans are struggling to assimilate back into our society and become employed. PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere), that is conducted by WNYPGA Professionals, is working hard to change that statistic. However, our 6-8 week HOPE Programs don’t offer a year round safe haven through golf. Vets need a place year round that they can have access to hone their skills.
Golf is Hard and Expensive for Youth Golf seems to get harder and more expensive every year. Many of our blue collar youth in Western New York don’t have the means to play or even be introduced to the game of golf that we all know is a game that can be played for a lifetime. There is no true facility that offers this first taste of golf for the vast majority of our Western NY youth.
Barriers for Executive Women and Golf
From PGA of America research it was discovered that women are one of the fastest growing off-course golfer demographics with 41% of off-course golfers being females. Despite this number, women are still not being invited to business golf rounds due to lack of comfort on the course. This is severely limiting professional growth throughout their careers. There is no place that allows women to truly get comfortable on-course.
The Golf Workforce is Decreasing All across the Western New York Section, PGA (Buffalo, Rochester and Erie) our golf courses are struggling to identify up and coming Assistant PGA Professionals and superintendents. There is no true on-site training ground for these careers.
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The Solution & Vision
VISION Above you can view the renderings of our solution. We worked with C.W. Architecture LLC out of Michigan to create a learning center concept on the property of the Western New York Section, PGA homesite at Glen Oak GC in Amherst, NY. The ultimate vision of Lonnie Nielsen Learning Center is to be the first of its kind nationwide. A six hole, 18 tee, short course with a short game practice area.
Operated by our veteran community, under the supervision of PGA Professionals
First priority to growth of the game programming for youth, military and diverse individuals
Training grounds for future PGA Professionals and superintendents
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Demographic Reach
IMPACT PGA REACH WNY Foundation reaches numerous charitable organizations across the region. This project will not only benefit our specific benefactors but we truly want to make this available to all of the below. Golf is a game that teaches so many life lessons but has many barriers to access. With this site, there will no longer be those barriers.
All PGA HOPE Veterans struggling with PTSD and their families
Over 1300 Juniors in the WNYPGA Junior Tour and PGA Junior League
Special Olympics Athletes
Charter schools and Buffalo public schools
Over 2000 First Tee of WNY Kids
Oishei Children's Hospital Kids Cancer Patients
United Way Women's United Organization
A PLACE TO PLAY, LEARN AND WORK Not only do we envision the Lonnie Nielsen Learning Center to be a place to play golf but more importantly we see it as a place that offers employment to our vets and learning experiences to our juniors. The goal is to have the entire facility run and maintained by veterans, juniors and diverse individuals to help them gain employment and access to the golf industry and the values that it teaches.
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Capital & Revenue Model Capital Needed In order to make this vision a reality, we need your help! To put that first shovel in the ground we need $1.1 million. We are looking for a group of individuals that believe in our vision. •
$900,000 to build the facility
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$200,000 to maintain learning center in year one
Revenue and Sustainability Model In order to maintain this property up to the standards that we the PGA are accustomed to, we would need $150,000 per year. In, order to ensure this happens, below is our revenue model. •
PGA REACH WNY Pro-Am Annual Fundraiser . $50,000 net revenue
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Public will be charged $20 for daily access to the property. We estimate 5,000 rounds. $100,000 net revenue
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Trustee and Advisory Board Commitment $25,000 annually
Our Why
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Veteran Video Testimonials