Dear Friends of First Tee – Sandhills:
For many, the days and weeks after time change signal a wind down, but here at First Tee – Sandhills, our youth programs are still going strong!
As we speak, our Coaches and Mentors are engaging with youngsters at local Elementary and After School facilities, engaging in fun golf activities that will challenge their new skills and build character along the way!
While the youngsters are out playing, I’d like to introduce you to Camden. He’s a preteen and the oldest sibling in his family who works through his share of hurdles on a daily basis. In a classroom setting, he struggles to pay attention, eventually daydreaming and causing him to ‘not remember what comes next.’ Participating on sports teams has been difficult for him, mostly because of his need for continuous learning and reinforcement.
Camden’s family found First Tee – Sandhills this year and he wanted to give our programs a try! While most car rides home kick off with him telling mom or dad how much fun it is to ‘hit the ball as hard as possible,’ they quickly turn to how much he enjoys the time spent with First Tee Coaches and fellow participants.
His short term memory fires on all cylinders because our small coach to youngster ratio allows coaches to spend individualized time with Camden and his classmates. Our passionate team of coaches truly get to know their participants and help them reach personal milestones, both on and off the course. Based on the feedback from his family, Camden’s experiences at First Tee – Sandhills have definitively led to more meaningful outcomes and a planned return visit in 2023!
Thanks to the generosity and commitment of our supporters, such as you, we have been able to increase our program capacity, ensuring youngsters like Camden have a place to call home. Through the development of new volunteers and coaches, we’ve expanded our footprint of partner programs that engage with youth on campus after the bell.
In addition, we continue to build on our core pillars, furthering our vision of ensuring all young people across our Service Area can develop and grow through mentorship and character education while enjoying the game of golf.
We have remained focused on our School Program partnerships, a curriculum that allows students to experience golf as a lifelong, healthy hobby through physical education class in elementary schools. This focus has helped us progress in reactivating programs through ongoing training of PE teachers, replacing outdated equipment and offering classroom support to new teachers.
Equally important, we have invested in broadening and strengthening our relationships with our coaches, volunteers and mentors. In turn, we’re helping youngsters, like Camden, achieve personal growth, resilience and self-confidence!
Finally, we have committed to our strategic plan about where chapter-led curriculum programs take place. By taking our program to where youngsters are, we make it easier for families to get to us, they’ll have greater access and stick with us longer, leading to more meaningful outcomes.
I am proud of the purposeful efforts we have made towards our chapter goals as today’s progress becomes tomorrow’s opportunity!
As we move forward, and with your ongoing commitment, First Tee – Sandhills will continue to play a critical role in shaping the futures of young people in the Sandhills!
I hope you’ll join us in delivering our mission by contributing to the 2022 Annual Fund Campaign, today! Your support is what makes it all possible.
Together, we are Building Game Changers through golf!
Request a printed Annual Fund Campaign by contacting: Courtney Stiles, Executive Director [email protected]
910.255.3035