Orlando, United States: Arnie’s Army was established in 1959 during the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, when an ‘army’ of US soldiers followed the defending champion, Arnold Palmer, around the course.
Today, 58 years later, Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation (AACF) has announced the creation of a Legacy Programme to support late golf legend Palmer’s lifetime mission of philanthropy, as the centrepiece of a nationwide re-branding campaign for the organisation. The first three founding Legacy Partners in the new AACF program include long-time Palmer allies Hertz, MasterCard and Golf Channel/NBC Sports.
Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation was established in 2015 to help fulfill Palmer’s life-long passion of investing in the well-being and development of children and youth, supporting health and wellness initiatives and strengthening both communities and the environment.
Today, the AACF has been entrusted to carry on the legacy of Palmer in marching toward a better tomorrow. While the iconic Arnold Palmer umbrella logo will still have a place within the organisation, the refreshed logo, which features a reflective silhouette, captures Palmer as a golfer, and as the giving humanitarian he was for more than six decades.
“Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation is celebrating a Life Well Played by driving forward on Mr Palmer’s unmatched commitment to philanthropy, and a lifetime dedicated to making lives better around the world,” said Kevin Bingham, CEO, Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation. “We are excited to debut a fresh new Foundation logo as part of our nationwide re-branding campaign for Arnie’s Army, as well as unveil our Legacy Programme that will help shape the future of the organisation.”
In 2017, and beyond, programmes and events that encompass the AACF will be supported through the newly created Legacy Programme, which is a collaboration of key business partners whose values closely align with Palmer. The first three legacy partners reflect the ideals and vision of Palmer, highlighted by a long-standing partnership with MasterCard, a 35-plus year partnership with Hertz and Golf Channel/NBC sports, which Palmer helped establish in 1995.
Bingham added: “By leveraging new marketing assets, financial resources and creative programming, in collaboration with the power of our partners’ brands, the AACF will be positioned to expand our reach nationally and continue to exceed our charitable goals well into the future. Backed by our three founding partners, we are seeking to align with additional companies and brands that support the philanthropy initiatives that are synonymous with Arnold Palmer’s lifetime of giving back.”
For decades, Arnold and Winnie Palmer dedicated unwavering time and resources through their philanthropic endeavours, especially in Orlando, Florida through the Arnold Palmer Hospital For Children and the Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, as well as in Palmer’s hometown of Latrobe, Pennsylvania through the Winnie Palmer Nature Reserve. In creating the AACF, Palmer’s mission is never ending, and today the Foundation remains focused on sustaining the great work that has been established, while expanding the footprint to new communities across the nation.
The AACF, which will operate as a united front in support of Palmer’s vision, represents the charitable components of several high profile events and programmes, including golf’s prestigious Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, the PGA Tour event that takes place in Orlando every March. The non-profit tournament that Palmer founded was created to support philanthropic events that take place during tournament week, highlighted by Arnie’s March Against Children’s Cancer.
Another event that is a core initiative of the AACF is the Arnold Palmer Cup. Now in its 20th year, the Arnold Palmer Cup is an annual Ryder Cup-style tournament matching top male collegiate golfers from the United States against Europe. The 2017 Arnold Palmer Cup will take place at the Atlanta Athletic Club, from June 9-11. In co-founding the Arnold Palmer Cup in 1997, alongside the Golf Coaches Association of America, Palmer set out to create a platform for cultivating the next generation of competitive golfers, while driving the growth of golf at the amateur and collegiate levels.
Since its inception, the Arnold Palmer Cup has not only become a launching pad for young rising golf professionals from around the world, but it has become a breeding ground for many of the game’s future stars. In fact, the Arnold Palmer Cup has produced over 100 players who have gone on to earn PGA or European Tour cards, and can proudly claim 178 professional victories, multiple Major champions and nearly two dozen Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup members.