Lakeland, Fla. – A contingent youths involved in The First Tee of Lakeland delivered a load of golf equipment to MacDill Air Base in Tampa, to be shipped to the U.S. troops in Iraq.
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In this case, the youths are hoping to see television coverage of U.S. troops in Iraq – and even Iraqi children – playing golf with their former equipment. While that may not happen, the equipment will surely give a number of servicemen and women abroad a taste of home.
Arriving at MacDill, the First Tee of Lakeland group emptied a van filled with several hundred golf clubs, along with a number of golf bags and gave them to Col. David Anderson and Col. David Engle.
Since work to create The First Tee of Lakeland began in spring 2003, the Lakeland community “has been extremely generous with our initiative, donating thousands of clubs and golf balls,” McBride says. “We are achieving our goal to supply youth with equipment and thought it would be great for our youth to experience the satisfaction of sharing with our servicemen and women overseas.
“The kids are thrilled that they too can give.”
The Lakeland organization opened in May and has 349 youths, from age 6 to 18, enrolled in its programs.
Besides golf etiquette, which is taught in a classroom setting, McBride says the important “life lessons” are taught “outside when kids are hanging out here and playing golf. The biggest thing is that golf is for all races, not just certain people. You can participate, but if you do there is a certain way to do it. We are also able to teach them a laundry list of other intangibles that this game can teach you.”
Among them, to give as you have been given to.