I want to share some really incredible work that is going on thanks to some very dedicated members of the South Texas GCSA. The chapter has made a concerted effort to reach out to their community beyond our world of golf. I think it is something that all chapters should consider because it is good public relations, it shows a value to their membership and because it is the right thing to do!
Last year, the South Texas GCSA resurrected an inspiring program that leaders in the past had initiated many years ago. One of their members championed an idea of then President Blayne Sparks of refurbishing a golf cart and donating it to a needy organization. Bluejack National in Conroe, Texas, donated a beat up E-Z-GO cart that became the focus of the project. The champion of the project identified all of the work and replacement parts that would be necessary to make the cart usable. The chapter distributed the list of parts and asked members to either purchase the parts or make financial donations.
More than 20 courses and affiliate companies made the donations necessary to make the cart new again. When it was finished, they searched for an organization that needed a cart and found a terrific one.
Camp Hope is a facility in Houston that provides treatment and housing for wounded warriors who are affected by PTSD. The champion, Brandon Cole, Regional Sales Manager for Salsco Inc., says the chapter plans to donate a cart every year and will continue to support organizations like Camp Hope. Great job by the South Texas chapter.
I am sure that many of you are familiar or may be involved with Christmas Toy Drives. The South Texas chapter also has a great toy drive each year and in 2014, they donated their proceeds to the Pediatric Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Following are two article from the South Texas GCSA Tee to Green newsletter. It describes the chapter's work in their own words. I think you will find them interesting and hope it inspires you to consider similar programs within your own chapter.
The Toy Drive and Golf Cart Charity Project is Complete
Published Jan/Feb 2015
In 2014, President Blayne Sparks had an idea to bring back the
golf cart restoration project that STGCSA did many years ago as well as a toy drive that would mirror the time when we used to collect money at the Christmas Party for Toys for Tots. Director, Brandon Cole, newly named Regional Sales Manager for Salsco Inc., took the golf cart project by the reins. Eric Bauer of Bluejack National Golf Club donated the cart and with the help of many members’ donations, including $1000 from Texas Aggregate and Base
Materials (Steven Stulce), $1000 from Richard Oaks and Carl Tolbert of The Hurt Company/Reladyne, $500 from High Meadow Ranch (Cody Spivey), and $100 from All Seasons Turf Grass (Scott and Irene Sipes). Brandon completed the project in time to show it off at the annual meeting in November at Cypress Lakes. At that meeting, toys and cash were collected to hand out to a worthy cause.
Both charity projects were completed on December 17 when Directors Willy Plowman, Kyle Brown, Brandon Cole, Past President Sean Wilson and 2014 President Blayne Sparks went to Camp Hope to donate the golf cart. Camp Hope provides interim housing for our wounded warriors, veterans and their families suffering from combat-related PTSD in a caring and positive environment.
The toys were then delivered to the Pediatric Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center for them to distribute to the kids suffering in the hospital during the Christmas Holidays.
Both projects were a huge success and a collaborated effort from all of our members. We can all be so proud of what was accomplished. Once again, South Texas GCSA members show how giving and dedicated they are to our association and others in need.
Camp Hope, Houston (Update)
By: Blayne Sparks
Published May 2015
Happy Memorial Day!! What a week, or even just the day to celebrate our service men and women for their many sacrifices made to provide us with the very freedoms that we have today.
Coincidentally, it happened to be the week of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new housing unit at Camp Hope; that was desperately needed. Once the new structure is in place, there will be an even greater demand on the feeding of nearly 80 of our service people and their families that are returning home only to find themselves broken or lost. This outreach program that is privately funded, meaning there are no government subsidies, has taken on the fight to get these dedicated warriors back to the lives that they knew before they left the very soil that has all but forgotten them, in some cases. Recognizing our association’s willingness to pitch in, I have greatly enjoyed the process of giving back so little to so many that deserve so much more. The generosity of a new golf cart was a great first step, but feeding these heroes can go so much further, especially recognizing that most times, their families are involved with the process of getting their lives back.
Phase I
On Saturday, May 2, 2015, the Board of Directors for the STGCSA were able to mobilize and set forth with the construction of nearly a half-acre raised garden bed. Jack
Hargrove of Hargrove Construction provided over seven hours of labor on both a Bobcat skid-steer and a John Deere tractor spreading and blending over 120 tons of material. Not bad for an old man! Sue Rinehart of Rinehart Trucking donated over 60 tons of topsoil and Daniel Baker provided the remaining 60 tons of mushroom compost material to complete the capping off process in the construction of the garden.
Phase II
This is where everyone can still get involved… and it is desperately needed. All calls out to anyone with gardening experience because this is going to set the stage for a successful yield and get the project started off on the right foot. This year, the STGCSA is going to donate a tiller, instead of a golf cart, so that the Camp Hope veterans can be trained by the time winter crops are ready to be planted. There is still much to do, such as setting up an overhead irrigation system that AMC, Inc., has so generously donated, but needs to be installed.
Jim Norris of John Deere Landscape has donated two backpack sprayers for the maintenance of the garden and Stephen Dolen along with Clint Neely of Harrell’s are willing to donate whatever fertilizers are necessary to develop a garden that our association can be proud of for years to come. We have all been blessed by the sacrifices that these service people have made to ensure that our lives are better, so please remember that we should all take a minute to thank a veteran every chance we get.
Last year, the South Texas GCSA resurrected an inspiring program that leaders in the past had initiated many years ago. One of their members championed an idea of then President Blayne Sparks of refurbishing a golf cart and donating it to a needy organization. Bluejack National in Conroe, Texas, donated a beat up E-Z-GO cart that became the focus of the project. The champion of the project identified all of the work and replacement parts that would be necessary to make the cart usable. The chapter distributed the list of parts and asked members to either purchase the parts or make financial donations.
More than 20 courses and affiliate companies made the donations necessary to make the cart new again. When it was finished, they searched for an organization that needed a cart and found a terrific one.
Camp Hope is a facility in Houston that provides treatment and housing for wounded warriors who are affected by PTSD. The champion, Brandon Cole, Regional Sales Manager for Salsco Inc., says the chapter plans to donate a cart every year and will continue to support organizations like Camp Hope. Great job by the South Texas chapter.
I am sure that many of you are familiar or may be involved with Christmas Toy Drives. The South Texas chapter also has a great toy drive each year and in 2014, they donated their proceeds to the Pediatric Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
Following are two article from the South Texas GCSA Tee to Green newsletter. It describes the chapter's work in their own words. I think you will find them interesting and hope it inspires you to consider similar programs within your own chapter.
The Toy Drive and Golf Cart Charity Project is Complete
Published Jan/Feb 2015
In 2014, President Blayne Sparks had an idea to bring back the
Both charity projects were completed on December 17 when Directors Willy Plowman, Kyle Brown, Brandon Cole, Past President Sean Wilson and 2014 President Blayne Sparks went to Camp Hope to donate the golf cart. Camp Hope provides interim housing for our wounded warriors, veterans and their families suffering from combat-related PTSD in a caring and positive environment.
The toys were then delivered to the Pediatric Center at MD Anderson Cancer Center for them to distribute to the kids suffering in the hospital during the Christmas Holidays.
Camp Hope, Houston (Update)
By: Blayne Sparks
Published May 2015
Coincidentally, it happened to be the week of the groundbreaking ceremony for the new housing unit at Camp Hope; that was desperately needed. Once the new structure is in place, there will be an even greater demand on the feeding of nearly 80 of our service people and their families that are returning home only to find themselves broken or lost. This outreach program that is privately funded, meaning there are no government subsidies, has taken on the fight to get these dedicated warriors back to the lives that they knew before they left the very soil that has all but forgotten them, in some cases. Recognizing our association’s willingness to pitch in, I have greatly enjoyed the process of giving back so little to so many that deserve so much more. The generosity of a new golf cart was a great first step, but feeding these heroes can go so much further, especially recognizing that most times, their families are involved with the process of getting their lives back.
Phase I
On Saturday, May 2, 2015, the Board of Directors for the STGCSA were able to mobilize and set forth with the construction of nearly a half-acre raised garden bed. Jack Hargrove of Hargrove Construction provided over seven hours of labor on both a Bobcat skid-steer and a John Deere tractor spreading and blending over 120 tons of material. Not bad for an old man! Sue Rinehart of Rinehart Trucking donated over 60 tons of topsoil and Daniel Baker provided the remaining 60 tons of mushroom compost material to complete the capping off process in the construction of the garden.
Phase II
This is where everyone can still get involved… and it is desperately needed. All calls out to anyone with gardening experience because this is going to set the stage for a successful yield and get the project started off on the right foot. This year, the STGCSA is going to donate a tiller, instead of a golf cart, so that the Camp Hope veterans can be trained by the time winter crops are ready to be planted. There is still much to do, such as setting up an overhead irrigation system that AMC, Inc., has so generously donated, but needs to be installed.
Jim Norris of John Deere Landscape has donated two backpack sprayers for the maintenance of the garden and Stephen Dolen along with Clint Neely of Harrell’s are willing to donate whatever fertilizers are necessary to develop a garden that our association can be proud of for years to come. We have all been blessed by the sacrifices that these service people have made to ensure that our lives are better, so please remember that we should all take a minute to thank a veteran every chance we get.
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