The Community Hub

At First Tee – Sandhills, our mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. As a youth development organization, we combine mentorship with accessible programming and outstanding curriculum, to create active learning experiences that build perseverance, confidence, and resilience.

Participants in our program engage with trained, caring adult coaches & mentors, and interact with a curriculum that is both developmentally and age appropriate. Kids and teens in our program learn life skills that stay with them forever, such as understanding and managing emotions, resolving conflicts, setting up step-by-step goals, planning for the future, and appreciating diversity.

Through deliberate efforts to foster growth, we’ve designed a space, a Community Hub, that will benefit First Tee – Sandhills participants and our surrounding community. This permanent space will increase access to our life skills curriculum and build a permanent home to enable more kids and teens to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges.

Key Project Outcomes

• Provide year round access and engagement to Curriculum Program Participants
• Enhance School Program partnership through continued learning Field Trips with PE and Science programs A home for Community Programs with like minded youth centric organizations
• A permanent place to offer consistent weekend programs for families
• A workforce development program for teens and young adults including skill development and source of income A community classroom & a place where all are welcome

Our Community Hub will allow for high inclusion and reach within a modest acreage. Below is a snapshot of the amenities we would build into the 34 acre footprint.

Providing Greater Access to Character Education Programs

As a rural nine-county chapter of the First Tee network, we’ve spent the last ten years investing in laying the foundation to ‘go where the kids are’ and have strived to establish programs where kids feel included, enriched, and entertained.

This targeted approach is designed to bolster access and to support kids and teens in underserved and underrepresented areas of the communities we serve, maximizing our chapter resources and participant retention.

Today’s progress highlights include activation in 72 Elementary School Programs, 11 Outreach and Community Partner Programs and 12 Green Grass host facilities.

Measuring Success + Outcome

At First Tee – Sandhills will evaluate the success of our project during planning, buildout and execution using our existing project assessment framework. Employing both quantitative and qualitative indicators, we will evaluate the effectiveness for all parties involved.

Facility Usage Impact Review

Once completed, we foresee the Community Hub providing access to five core groups over a one-year time window, this access would look like:

• School Program Partner Field Trips | 30 Trips for 100 Students per Trip
• Community Program Partners | 30 three-week programs for 24 kids and teens per program
• First Tee Curriculum Programs + Camps | 10 eight-week programs for 24 kids and teens per program
• Adaptive Groups | 30 Visits for 36 Adults per visit
• Public Usage | 3 Days per week for mixed usage

First Tee – Sandhills Footprint Review

Over a 14-month window we reviewed 16+ land sites off the US 1 Corridor. This area of the community was targeted as the most strategic space to invest in the Community Hub, allowing for ease of access to our current partners and new access for future partners.

• Multi-Color Circles + Red Stars have active programs at golf courses, partner facilities and schools
• Black Stars are targeted future growth communities
• Red Heart is 35 Acre Land Purchase off Read Rd in Cameron, NC

The Present Landscape & What Comes Next

To support the design and construction of this project, we have established a committee of community advocates and key stakeholders to ensure an outcome that will meet our qualitative and quantitative goals.

Below is a snapshot of the key tasks we have accomplished since August 2023.

• Land Plan Architect Secured | Richard Mandell Golf Architecture
• Land Procured | 35 Acre property on Read Rd in Cameron
• Project Team Identified including Field Specific Experts
• Fundraising for Phase 2 in Progress
• Loan Applications with Bank Partners
• Best Practices Research with similar Community Projects and First Tee Chapters
• Consultations with Land Conservation & Wetland Protection Specialist
• Project Scope & Land Usage Approved by Town of Cameron Planning Board & County Commissioners

In working with financial partners, we have established budgetary needs for each phase of the Community Hub Project, taking into consideration the balance of development goals, cash flow and immediate opportunities for youth and family use on the space.

Phase 1 and 2 of the project will require a $1.5MM investment over a sixteen-month period. In total we estimate a $4.3MM investment to see all four phases of the project to completion.

Thanks to our Cash Operating Reserve Policy, established in 2017, and our generous Friends of First Tee fund, we currently sit in a sound financial position specific to our First Tee – Sandhills Operations Budget and financial forecasting twelve months in advance.

This said, we were able to pay cash for the 34 acre purchase in December 2024 at $345,000 while still ensuring our day to day operations and goals are able to continue at a high quality level without cutting corners.

Together, we are Opening Doors & Opening Eyes

In order for First Tee – Sandhills to positively impact young people, it takes coaches, staff, board members and donors being actively engaged in our mission and invested in our outcomes. Each has a vital role in our success and without support, we will fail to achieve our goals.

This said, today’s sustainability laminates our confidence in the vision of the Community Hub and its ability to provide greater access and resources to the Sandhills while ensuring everyone has a place where they feel included, enriched, and excited to return.

Are you ready to be a part of history as we map out Tomorrow’s Opportunity?

If so, please use our form below to share your contact information and we will be in touch within three (3) business days.