Michigan PGA, Detroit Red Wings Faceoff, Raise $65,000 for Military Veterans

By Greg Johnson

The golfers of the Michigan Section PGA, with the help of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association (DRWAA), raised $65,000 for armed service veterans in the second Michigan PGA vs. Red Wings Alumni Game last Sunday at Michigan State University’s Munn Ice Arena.

The Michigan PGA and Red Wing Alumni partnership distributed the funds to a trio of veteran’s service organizations including PGA HOPE (Helping our Patriots Everywhere), Folds of Honor and Spike’s K9 Unit.

As for the game, the PGA team, highlighting golfers on skates, held its own for a while before falling to the Red Wings Alumni 9-7. Red Berenson, Dino Ciccarelli, Mike Knuble, Jiri Fischer, John Ogrodnick, Danny DeKeyser, Kevin Miller and Jason Woolley were among the former Red Wings who played. Former Boston Bruin Kraig Nienhuis also played with the Red Wings and performed the National Anthem.

The game was open to fans for free and Echo, a Spikes K9 Fund dog, performed the ceremonial puck drop. The PGA players and their coaches in the game each raised funds through pledges for the veterans groups, and several sponsors were brought on board to support the cause.

George Bowman, the head PGA golf professional at Oakhurst Golf & Country Club in Oakhurst, is also the secretary for the DRWAA and led partnership efforts for the game.

Bowman served as a goalie for both teams for parts of the game, too. The PGA team included 23 golf professionals, including Dean Kolstad, a former NHL player who is the director of golf at Gull Lake View Golf & Resort near Kalamazoo, Doug Kreis of Battle Creek Country Club, Ian Ziska of American Dunes Golf Club, Jordan Young of Jordan Young Academy and Justin McPhail of Traverse City Golf & Country Club.

“I thought it was another great event and fun to see our PGA professionals perform in another game where they are skilled,” Kevin Helm, executive director of the Michigan Section said. “Golf and hockey have worked together very well the last two years to help our veterans.”