On the heels of another record year in 2023, the John Deere Classic’s Birdies for Charity program kicked off its 2024 fundraising drive today, April 8.
This year marks the 31st annual initiative by the local PGA tournament to help raise funds for some 480 charities in the Quad Cities region.
“Our goal is to help local and regional charities raise money to provide them with the financial stability they need to continue to do their grassroots work in our outstanding Quad Cities community,” JDC Tournament Director Andrew Lehman said in a news release.
“Our tournament title sponsor, John Deere, again will participate in a major way, donating $325,000 to our Bonus Fund,” he said. Mr. Lehman added that the Moline-based John Deere will again underwrite the administrative costs of the Birdies program “without which it would not have achieved the heights it has over the last 26 years.”
Birdies for Charity Director Micaela Booth also highlighted the mutual benefits that both charities and donors find in the program. Charities that participate do not incur any administrative fees, which ensures that 100% of all donations directly support them. In addition, the hundreds of charities involved are promised a minimum bonus of 5% thanks to the Bonus Fund. They can potentially receive up to a 10% bonus depending on the tournament’s success.
Last year, the JDC’s Birdies for Charity raised a record $14.1 million for charity and awarded a 7.5% bonus to nearly 500 participating charities.
To fulfill the bonus commitment, the goal is to raise $1 million for the Birdies for Charity Bonus Fund through grants, fundraising events, direct contributions, and the Platinum Tee Club.
“The Platinum Tee Club offers a great opportunity for folks who are looking to make an impact in their community while enjoying the magic of the John Deere Classic,” Ms. Booth said in the release. “Donations eligible for the Platinum Tee Club start at $750, and donation levels after $1,500 include exclusive tournament experiences.”
Stressing that “donations of all sizes to the Bonus Fund get us closer to our goals,” she added “Every extra dollar is critical to the missions of the nonprofits in our community.”
To help reach the $1 million goal, all proceeds raised from the JDC’s upcoming Jake Owen concert on Friday, April 19, will go into the Bonus Fund, Ms. Booth said. The concert will be held at Rhythm City Casino Resort in Davenport, which is co-sponsoring the signature event with Quad City Bank & Trust.
A few premium concert tickets, which include a hosted bar, are still available for this intimate event, where ticket sales are capped at 1,600, according to the release.
This year, charities must sign up by Friday, May 31, and must be a 501(c)3 approved charity. To be eligible, charities must be located within 125 miles of Silvis – the home of TPC Deere Run and the site of the John Deere Classic.
Pledge forms are available at birdiesforcharity.com.
To encourage charity donations, Smart Lexus of Quad Cities again will provide a two-year lease on a 2024 Lexus NX to one donor who correctly guesses the exact number of birdies recorded at this summer’s tournament, which will be played the week of July 3-7 at TPC Deere Run with Sepp Straka as defending champion.
Smart Lexus of Quad Cities, located in Davenport, also will continue to provide courtesy cars to John Deere Classic contestants during tournament week.
“We are pleased to have Smart Lexus of Quad Cities return as our automotive partner this year,” Mr. Lehman said in the release.
He added that the free lease contest for the 2024 Lexus NX “provides people with a major incentive to donate. In addition, providing courtesy vehicles to the pros elevates the tournament in their eyes. They love being able to drive a Lexus during tournament week.”
For more information, or to make a donation, donors can visit the official Birdies for Charity website.
Since the tournament’s founding in 1971, the event has helped raise more than $174 million for charity.
