Amanda Balionis' charity that 'makes things happen' thrives with Rory McIlroy's support

Golf pundit Amanda Balionis and her charity Puppies and Golf received a charming tribute from Rory McIlroy and his furry friend Cuddles at the Zurich Classic this year. The charity, established in 2020, champions fostering strong bonds between people and rescue dogs, as well as advocating for adopting pets instead of buying from breeders. The non-profit extends help to shelters and rescues throughout America by offering financial support.

Prior to teeing off at TPC Louisiana in April, McIlroy advocated for the cause with one particular older dog seeking a forever home . "Hi everyone, I'm Rory McIlroy and this is Cuddles," he introduced. "Cuddles is waiting to be adopted and find her forever home. So, if you feel so inclined, if you want to adopt her, I guess click the link and you'll know where to find her."

He's among many professional golfers promoting Balionis' venture, either by donning "Puppies and Golf" attire or making supportive promotional videos. In December 2020, talking with Golf Digest, the CBS Sports presenter recounted the impetus behind the initiative that blends her love for golf and canines, as reported by Mirror US.

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Recalling her stint volunteering for K9s for Warriors while she was part of the PGA Tour in Jacksonville, Florida , Balionis felt deeply rewarded. "I was volunteering for K9s for Warriors when I worked for the PGA Tour in Jacksonville, Florida, and it was really fulfilling and gratifying. It made me feel like more of a whole, well-rounded person," she said.

Balionis made the move to San Diego for her new position at Callaway and soon realized how much she missed contributing to charitable causes. After relocating, she stated, "And then when I moved to San Diego and took my job with Callaway, all of a sudden I didn't have that in my life, and I realized how important giving back was to me."

In an inventive twist to continue her philanthropy from a distance, Balionis collaborated with a friend's company, 'Puppies Make Me Happy'. Explaining her initiative, she said, "I had to find a way. A friend of mine owns an apparel company called 'Puppies Make Me Happy,' and I thought, 'Why don't we do a Puppies and Golf shirt? ' We'll have all the proceeds go to K9s for Warriors, so even if I can't physically be volunteering, it's still a great way to give back and, more importantly, spread awareness about this national organization."

Her efforts quickly evolved into a significant campaign with big goals. Encouraged by the positive response, Balionis decided to amplify her charitable involvement.

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Starting out as a simple T-shirt venture, Balionis' project swiftly grew in scale, aiming to gather thousands annually. She expanded further, revealing, "I started to reach out to animal rescues in the cities that I was in and visit them on the road," demonstrating her dedication to the cause.

She was profoundly touched by the commitment and affection she saw at animal rescues. "The amount of work and selfless love that's put into these dogs and these horrible stories that these dogs have are heartbreaking.

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"The volunteers and the people that own these places are hemorrhaging money into this for no other reason than they want to do the right thing. I would visit the shelters and feature some of the dogs that were up for adoption on my Instagram, and I was absolutely blown away by the response.

"Once I realized that I had something here that people were getting behind and were as passionate about as I was, I realized there was definitely room to grow Puppies and Golf into something bigger. I wanted to continue to support K9s for Warriors but also all of these incredible animal rescues across the country and connect them to the golf community who seemed to have this huge passion for dogs. Everyone loves golf. Everyone loves dogs. And when you combine the two, great things happen."

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