The coronavirus pandemic has swept the world with unprecedented ferocity, shutting down golf and life as we know it abruptly and causing widespread sickness, death and overall hardship.  We have no doubt that many of you have experienced firsthand suffering to your friends, families and colleagues.  The United States has been especially hard hit, which concerns us greatly as we are Americans.  In Thailand where we live during the school year, all nonessential travel is banned, nighttime curfew has been imposed and international flights have been suspended. Even Ottertail County in rural western Minnesota where we spend our summers is under Stay at Home order and people have the virus.   Our thoughts are especially with the first providers of medical services like doctors, nurses and others who are risking their health every day to treat the sickest people. 

As you know there are severe shortages of essential equipment in hospitals and supplies of surgical masks, gloves, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are depleting fast. Thus we are partnering with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and Direct Relief to raise money to help Direct Relief -- COVID-19 Relief provide PPE such as surgical and N95 respirator masks, exam gloves and isolation gowns to health workers responding to coronavirus (COVID-19).  Not only are these items life-saving, but they also hinder the spread of the virus. Together we can do our part to protect humanity.

In order to get these donations to Direct Relief quickly, fundraising will come to an end April 20!

Your contribution will not only support this crisis response but will also impact some of my fellow junior golfers through the AJGA's ACE Grant program. Your contributions will help talented junior golfers with a desire to better their life by playing junior golf and earning a college golf scholarship. These juniors lack the financial resources to compete at the national level to gain exposure to these scholarship opportunities. They need our help as well. College golf scholarships are simply life-changing.

Our goal is to raise $5,000 for a total of $6,000 with matching gifts. Would you consider making a donation and making a difference?

• The best way is to donate right now is a one-time donation using a credit card.

• Click on donate and choose to make a difference.

We thank you in advance for your generosity in this time of need.