ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The PenFed Foundation enlisted the help of 75 corporate and community partners to raise more than $675,000 for troops, veterans, and their families with its annual Military Heroes Golf Classic at Bethesda, Maryland’s Congressional Country Club.
“We can never fully repay the debt of gratitude owed to our troops, veterans, and their families,” said PenFed Foundation President and CEO James Schenck, who is also president of the credit union. “What we can do is provide programs that help them do better each and every day. The money we raise for the PenFed Foundation helps military heroes overcome financial emergencies, afford needed medical expenses, and move off the streets into safe accommodations.”
Summing up lessons learned from the golf tournament, Schenck said, “The outpouring of support for our nation’s defenders is our way of showing these military heroes that the citizens of a grateful nation have not forgotten their service and sacrifices. I was honored to play a round of golf with a double amputee who loves America and is very proud to have served our nation as a Marine. This experience truly touched me and everyone who was able to meet this extraordinary public servant. It reinforced the importance for all of us to support noble causes that help our active duty service members, veterans, and their families.”
“Our sponsors and participants joined together as an Ohana for this event,” said PenFed Foundation Chairman Fred Pang. “Ohana is a Hawaiian word that means ‘family.’ The PenFed Ohana gave selflessly and generously to support a very special community in our country—our men and women in uniform and their families, who protect and sustain our American way of life.”
PenFed provides $1.5 million annually to the PenFed Foundation, and annual disbursement that covers 100% of the foundation’s personnel costs and most of its operating expenditures. As a result, the PenFed Foundation will be able to channel the majority of the golf tournament’s proceeds to directly benefit the military community it serves, the Foundation explained.