Covia’s Partnerships Help Support Veterans

At Covia, our commitment to support to our local communities is put into action every day. Many of our initiatives focus on the passions of our own Covia Team Members, but we also understand our commitment to be inclusive of those outside our walls – our friends, neighbors, and other stakeholders.

While Memorial Day is behind us this year, Covia supports actively serving members of the armed forces, veterans, and their families all year long by contributing time and financial support to the defenders of freedom. One of our favorite events is our special golf clinic for veterans, the Stars, Stripes & Links Golf Clinic.

Since 2015, the Covia Foundation, in partnership with The Turn’s – Return to Golf Program, the Stand Up and Play Foundation, and Sand Ridge Golf Club, has hosted the Annual Stars, Stripes & Links golf clinic. This unique event provides a day of golf specifically intended for injured combat veterans at the beautiful Sand Ridge course in Chardon, Ohio, and gives Covia the opportunity to show our immense gratitude for the sacrifices made by our veterans.

Over the last eight years, we have supported more than 200 veterans, representing all five branches of the military, enjoyed a morning of complimentary one-on-one golf instruction, followed by camaraderie during on-course team play and a lunch reception to conclude the day. Covia Team Members generously volunteer their time to ensure the event is fun and informative for the participants. But, most importantly, our volunteers provide moral support and conversation. Last year, we had a record number of volunteers that included not only Covia Team Members, but customers and suppliers as well. Their dedication to this special project ensured our veterans all felt warmly appreciated. We look forward to hosting this event again in the fall.

“Our specialized team at The Turn is proud to have played a key role in the success of this wonderful event over the years,” said Gina Babinec. “It’s been an honor to partner with our friends at Covia and Sand Ridge Golf Club to provide this unique experience for deserving wounded veterans and veterans with physical disabilities from the local community.”

For more than 20 years, The Turn has been on the forefront of serving adults, children, and veterans with physical disabilities, helping them “make the turn” into the next chapter of their lives, both physically and emotionally. The Turn is a growing community in Northeast Ohio, inspiring hope and enhancing the health and well-being their members annually through specialized, adaptive recreation, fitness, and social programs to promote inclusion at its fully accessible campus of the Wharton Center at North Olmsted Golf Club.

The Stand Up and Play Foundation, founded by Anthony Netto, aims to help wheelchair users the opportunity to stand up and participate in sporting, artistic, and other activities, or even just experience the empowerment of looking at someone eye to eye. This volunteer-run endeavor supports paramobile recreation events like our Stars, Strikes and Links Golf Clinic, which gives those in wounded in service the chance to play golf.

Click to learn more about Covia’s valuable partnerships that support positive change.