Multi-year gift will provide youth across the prairies and First Tee – Canada network with affordable and inclusive access to the game of golf
Oakville, ON (November 7, 2024) – Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation are excited to announce that the Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation Inc. has pledged a major gift of $1M USD over four years to First Tee – Canada that will directly benefit First Tee – Prairies.
The Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation is a private Canadian foundation that was founded in 2005. Since it’s inception the Foundation has made meaningful and lasting contributions to nature conservancy, humanitarian aide (Canadian Red Cross, The Salvation Army, hospitals), youth sports and to other areas in the Saskatoon community.
L. David Dubé is currently the president and chief executive officer of the Concorde Group Corporation and has served on numerous boards across Canada and the United States over the past 30 years. Dubé was appointed to the Order of Canada in December 2020 and was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal in June 2022.
“On behalf of my wife Heather and I and our Foundation, we are extremely proud to support First Tee – Canada and invest in youth and the positive impact and life-long lessons sports can have on their lives,” said L. David Dubé, president, Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation. “We have been long-time supporters of youth sports and this opportunity with First Tee – Canada was a perfect fit for our Foundation to continue our commitment to sports and youth development. Access to sports can be difficult and we want to ensure whether it’s 1,000 children or just one child that we can help, where help is needed. Golf helps to teach life-long lessons and tests character, and we are happy to invest in meaningful youth development here in the prairies and across our country.”
Heather Ryan added, “Both David and I have led sporting lives. From grade school through Varsity sports, we have both believed in the power of sports to shape the lives of youth and access to sports is essential to delivering those benefits. First Tee – Canada is a perfect fit for us ensure others benefit from sport as we did.”
Golf Canada and the Golf Canada Foundation partnered with First Tee in 2020 to launch First Tee – Canada to provide youth with affordable and inclusive access to the game along with life-enhancing experiences through the game. First Tee – Prairies launched in January 2023 and today, six lead chapters are operating First Tee – Canada programming in every province across the country.
First Tee – Canada programming is delivered in three settings, at golf courses, schools and community centres with unique curriculums and training for each location. This year, First Tee – Prairies delivered programming to over 22,400 participants at seven program locations across Saskatchewan and Manitoba with a team of 10 certified First Tee coaches. Close to 40 per cent of participants identified as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Person of Colour) and 40 per cent identified as female. In addition, 76 per cent of schools and community centre programming serviced low-income and diverse populations in the provinces. Through the generous support of donors, 100 per cent of the programming was provided at no cost to the participants.
“We are very appreciative of the generous gift from the Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation that will directly have a positive impact on youth not only in the prairies but also across all First Tee chapters in Canada,” said First Tee – Canada Executive Director, Adam Hunter. “Financial support from generous donors allows us to expand program locations and provide them with the proper equipment, train and staff coaches and provide more youth with the opportunity to experience affordable golf programming in their communities.”
The Golf Canada Foundation is a critical partner in the continued growth of First Tee – Canada chapters across the country through the generous support of its donors and fundraising and philanthropic efforts.
“We are incredibly grateful that Heather and David have come forward in such an impactful way to support kids in the Prairies through golf,” said Golf Canada Foundation Chief Executive Officer, Martin Barnard. “They understand how sport can change lives and have been leaders in giving back both locally and nationally for many years. Their support will help us grow donations both in the province and across the country for many years to come.”
The Heather Ryan & L. David Dubé Foundation Inc. joins a strong network of donors across Canada that have generously impacted First Tee – Canada in a meaningful way since First Tee – Canada’s inception in 2020. To learn how to support First Tee – Canada, please email Executive Director Adam Hunter. To find a chapter near you, visit firstteecanada.ca. To learn more about First Tee – Prairies, please visit firstteeprairies.ca.