History
The PGIs for Literacy
In 1985, while playing on what had been his grandfather’s favourite golf course, award-winning Canadian broadcaster and journalist Peter Gzowski had an idea…
Why couldn’t he organize a fun-filled golf tournament for a few friends and perhaps raise a dollar or two for adult literacy at the same time?
A year later, his ‘little fundraising tournament’ evolved into the Peter Gzowski Invitational (PGI), a national series of locally produced golf tournaments featuring musicians, media and literacy celebrities.
Held annually in every province and territory, over 40,000 people have taken part in PGIs across the country since 1986. In the process, more than $15 million has been raised for volunteer-based literacy programs. These funds directly support literacy initiatives in the provinces and territories where the PGIs are held.
Peter Gzowski’s Vision
The PGIs bring together so much that matters to me: friends, laughter, poetry, music – all playing to make a better world. Thanks to the thousands of golfers, corporate sponsors and hardworking volunteers, the PGIs have become a network that stretches from sea to sea to, as I am proud to say, sea.
We’ve raised millions of dollars to help people learn to read and write or just make their lives a little better. And we’re going to keep on doing it.
– Peter Gzowski, 1934-2002