Ian’s journey with squamous cell skin cancer started last July. Leonard’s tournament extended forecast is for bad pants and sunny dispositions.In 2016, Ian lost a part of his lower lip due to squamous cell cancer. For me, that’s when our world becomes a better place,” Leonard said. I hope that by participating an hour or a day, people will not only reap the benefits that come from making a difference in someone’s life, but also looking beyond disabilities and becoming more accepting. “There is such a great feeling that comes with working a Special Olympics event. Leonard’s heartfelt goal is to help new volunteers “get it.” To Leonard, “getting it” is the light bulb that pops on when putting a human face to an event. Golf and Special Olympics seems like a perfect match,” Leonard said. I can’t say enough about how we’ve been received by the Minnesota Section of the PGA and the tireless work by people like Jay Meyerhoff of Rush Creek. This state has more golfers per capita than anywhere else. Leonard is especially enthused by how the Bad Pants event piggybacks on the goodwill generated by the Polar Plunge. Leonard believes one of the best parts of becoming involved is the people you meet and the lives that are touched. Bad Pants has good taste when it comes to making their event “classy fun” for all. This is in addition to the 18 holes of golf, carts, and a luncheon. There will also be prizes awarded based on apparel and team spirit. Golfers will choose from Taylor Made, Ashworth, and Adidas products. On Thursday, September 15, at Medina Golf & Country Club, each Bad Pants player will go on a $200 golf shopping spree. Noting that there are lots of tournaments for golfers to choose from, the “Bad Pants for a Good Cause” event promises something very special for participants in the fivesome scramble. I have to thank my employer, FOX 9, for not only allowing me to publicly endorse Special Olympics, but also for looking the other way if my pants hurt ratings,” Leonard said with a laugh. “Anyone who witnessed the pants I wore during my State Fair weather forecasts knows I must love the Special Olympics. When Leonard tossed out the idea of “Bad Pants” becoming the brand for a new golf event, everyone agreed if the meteorologist promised to wear the cause publicly. This idea felt especially right considering the cause had already been embraced by the Minnesota Section of the PGA. When Leonard and the Special Olympics community brainstormed on new avenues for fundraising, a golf tournament seemed like a natural solution. So even though I may dress like Poulter, I hit the ball more like Dangerfield,” Leonard said. He compares his golf apparel to another Ian, the spikey-haired Poulter. Leonard confessed that prior to the birth of his two children he was frequently seen on the links. In an effort to give his mild forecast season equal time, Leonard challenges the Minnesota and Wisconsin golf communities to hitch up their ‘bad’ pants to his favorite cause. These cold weather dives, with Leonard donning outrageous costumes, have raised thousands of Special Olympic dollars. Since arriving in the Twin Cities to work at FOX 9, Leonard has gained teeth-chattering acclaim for making more Polar Plunges than nearly anyone in the Midwest. The athletes and volunteers involved in the Special Olympics community really feel like an extended family to me,” Leonard said. “For the past 14 years, I’ve done what I can for Special Olympics. When Leonard isn’t explaining how Doppler radar interprets atmospheric motion, the Edmonton, Alberta native is giving his all for a cause that is dear to his heart. When it comes to making his little corner of the world a better place, FOX 9 Meteorologist Ian Leonard, has a formula that never fails. It could be said that a meteorologist has a 50-50 chance of predicting a daily forecast correctly.
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