Student Golfers, Volunteers Close Out the Year With Honors

The First Tee® of East Lake, a golf education and life skills program for young students, announced 2012 award winners at its recent annual banquet. More than a dozen participants and volunteers from the East Lake neighborhood were honored for their outstanding work over the last year.

            The First Tee of East Lake program, with “golf with a purpose” as its mission, reached more than 650 children this year, according to Director Nyre Williams. Part of the national First Tee organization, the East Lake program operates at East Lake’s Charlie Yates Golf Course, a public facility. In addition to learning, or perfecting, their golf game, youngsters are taught The First Tee’s Core Values: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

            Congratulations to this year’s award winners:

·         Outstanding Golfer: Darius Davis

·         Distinguished Character Award: Troy Nelson

·         Most Determined to Succeed: Solomon Dobbs

·         Volunteers of the Year: Linda Russell and Cassandra Picket

·         Outstanding Participant Leader: Kayla McClendon

·         Most Improved Golf Skills: Ty Ross and Dezmond Barlow

             The First Tee of East Lake programming for 2013 will begin in January. Anyone interested in volunteering with The First Tee of East Lake should apply online at eastlakefoundation.org.

Pictured:  Some of the 2012 First Tee program participants enjoy the annual awards luncheon held at Drew Charter School.