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'We're full steam ahead': Birdies for Charity Ready to Raise Millions Despite JDC Being Canceled

Program Director Kristy Ketcham Jackson Joins GMQC to Discuss How You Can Help Local Non-Profits Without the John Deere Classic

Magic can still happen this year, even if there is no golf. Here's how.

The 2020 John Deere Classic has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, but its fundraising vehicle - Birdies for Charity - is "full steam ahead," according to Program Director Kristy Ketcham Jackson:

"We won’t be there at the John Deere Classic. You won’t be able to come out to the course and have that great excitement that we have every year - an awesome tournament, a great finish, all those things we’ve become used to, but I don’t want anyone to forget that the most important part of our business is the charity side of things."

That's why there's an even bigger push this year to collect donations for more than 500 participating charities in our area, plus the Bonus Fund - which guarantees an additional 5% bonus check to every charity, based on the amount of money they raise.

RELATED: 2020 John Deere Classic golf tournament cancelled

RELATED: Volunteers of the John Deere Classic switch focus to 2021

"The Bonus [Fund] is what we look at as the most important part of what we can do for our charities," Ketcham Jackson explained during a live interview on Good Morning Quad Cities on Wednesday, June 3rd, 2020. 

"It's one of the most challenging things we do, but the most important thing we do. Every charity – the same as in the past few years – is guaranteed a bonus of at least 5% based on every pledge we collect for them. That promise has not changed. We’ll just be going about it a little bit differently this year, but we will make that happen."

You can help make that happen. Click here to learn more about how to get involved and keep our community strong until the 2021 John Deere Classic next July.

"The more of those [donations] we get in, the more we can help that Bonus Fund, so that’s the easiest way people can help all of our charities, help the community, help the John Deere Classic in the challenging time that we’re struggling with right now."

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