Honor Scholarships & Golf Marathons

Many Americans support various philanthropic causes and donate their time and money to charities each year. These non-profit organizations aid several people in need and veterans and their families. One of the charities involved in work with veterans’ families is Folds of Honor.

Folds of Honor was created by Lieutenant Colonel Dan Rooney after his second tour of duty in Iraq. An F-16 fighter pilot in the Oklahoma Air National Guard, Lt. Colonel Rooney completed a flight mission that involved bringing home the casket of a fallen veteran, Corporal Brock Bucklin. Bucklin had a young son, Jacob, and Lt. Colonel Rooney knew of the boy's hardship after his father’s passing, including possible financial strain on the family.

Lt. Colonel Rooney began Folds of Honor, which gives scholarships to children of fallen and disabled veterans. Corporal Bucklin’s son Jacob became the first scholarship recipient in 2007. Since then, the organization has awarded 29,000 scholarships and over $145 million in educational, financial aid throughout all 50 states. Out of the 29,000 scholarships, 41 percent of the recipients are from minority groups.

There are two types of scholarships offered by Folds of Honor. One is the Children’s Fund, which supports young students entering primary and secondary school. Families can use these funds for private school tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and other required fees. The funds cannot be used for extra-curricular activities such as sports fees, music lessons, or PTO costs.

The other scholarship type is for students continuing into higher education. These funds can be used for a college/university education, technical school, or licensure program. The scholarship can only be used for the recipient’s first bachelor’s degree and can be awarded for up to four years. Recipients must reapply each year for a maximum of $5,000 in yearly aid.

There are 30 Folds of Honor chapters located across the United States to raise funds for veterans’ families. Some states have multiple chapters, with three in Texas, two in Pennsylvania, and two in Ohio. Many of these chapters hold various fundraising events in their communities throughout the year.

One of the unique ways Folds of Honor raises money for these scholarships is through golf marathons throughout the country. There is a specific goal for the number of holes played in some golf marathons, often 100. The Folds of Honor golf marathon is slightly different and involves a player golfing as many holes as possible in one day. The golfer secures pledge donations from friends and family for each hole completed. This way, a player can golf at their own pace and still make an impact. The Folds of Honor website states, “Whether it’s an 18 or 126-hole day, you’re making a difference.”

Players can register with Folds of Honor and use a special donation website for online fundraising to host a golf marathon. Their donors can easily pledge money via credit card for each hole, giving the golfer more incentive to play more holes and raise more funds. Donors can use the Folds of Honor website to search for the scheduled golf marathon and player or team that will receive their donation. Marathon hosts receive a special marketing kit to kick off their event.