Charleston, SC—First Tee – Greater Charleston is hosting a registration lottery January 27-February 2 for spring programs at seven Charleston Area golf courses. Spring programs, which meet once a week for 8 weeks, will tee off the week of March 10, and First Tee’s On-Course Golf & Life Skills curriculum is suitable for children ages 5-18.
No golf knowledge or prior experience is required for lottery entry or program participation, and no equipment purchase is necessary. First Tee supplies everything a child needs to get started.
Families are encouraged to register at their convenience during the lottery period at FirstTeeCHS.org/register. To ensure all children have an equal opportunity at limited golf course openings, selections will be made at random.
Random drawings will occur February 3-4. First Tee will only contact families who are selected, and families will have 48 hours to accept electronically. Program registrations that are not finalized within 48 hours, will pass to another applicant. Selections will continue until all openings are filled.
First Tee – Greater Charleston will host three On-Course Golf & Life Skills lotteries this year and expects to serve about 1,200 young people at Berkeley Country Club, Charleston Municipal, The Club at Pine Forest, Dunes West Golf & River Club, Patriots Point Golf Links, Shadowmoss Golf Club, and Wescott Golf Club.
The organization expects to serve an additional 22,000 children at Charleston Area schools and community centers.
Volunteer coaches and mentors play a vital role in First Tee’s mission to help kids build character through the game of golf. All skill levels (including teens ages 16 and up) are welcome! Apply now at FirstTeeCHS.org/volunteer to get involved in spring programs.
Charleston, SC–Longtime Wescott Golf Club volunteer and beloved First Tee Coach Tom Rader has been named REACH Retired Professional of the Year by the Carolinas PGA.
This distinguished honor recognizes retired professionals who have given back to the game in extraordinary ways by supporting the three pillars of the PGA REACH Foundation—youth, military, and diversity.
Rader, who helps administer First Tee – Greater Charleston’s On-Course Golf & Life Skills Program at Wescott, has introduced hundreds of children to the game of golf and core value curriculum. The benefits of that work extend well-beyond the course, and Rader was recognized for his efforts as First Tee’s Volunteer of the Year in 2015. His faithfulness to the mission of positively impacting the lives of young people is as strong as ever nearly 10 years later.
“Coach Tom was one of our very first volunteers and has been with us for 15+ years,” says First Tee Program Director Meghan Taylor. “We are so grateful for him!”
Rader is also a long-time volunteer for two adaptive golf therapy initiatives at Wescott, PGA HOPE events for veterans/active duty military and the HERO Program for first responders.
Most would consider Rader an installation at Wescott. You can find him several days a week with Ziggy, Wescott’s unofficial mascot, in tow. The pair bring a smile to everyone they meet. And when they aren’t on the golf course, they’re making friends through ATD (Alliance of Therapy Dogs). Favorite ATD volunteer appearances include dog therapy days at local colleges during exam weeks.
About First Tee – Greater Charleston
Established in 2008, First Tee – Greater Charleston serves young people, ages 5-18, from all walks of life. The 501(c)3 offers on-course, in-school, and community outreach programs that teach life-enhancing values and interpersonal skills through the game of golf. The organization reaches thousands of children each year in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties–19,869 young people in 2023 alone.
PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation
The PGA REACH Carolinas Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and philanthropic arm of the Carolinas PGA Section, the largest of the 41 sections in the United States of America. Carolinas members across North and South Carolina are committed to serving local communities and growing the game of golf through three pillars–Youth, Military, and Diversity/Inclusion.
We are pleased to announce the appointment of Conor O’Rourke as our new Philanthropy Director!
Conor has over a decade of fundraising experience in both independent and higher education sectors. He has dedicated his career to supporting advancement opportunities for young people. Most recently, he served as Director of Development at Rocky Hill Country Day School in Rhode Island and has held various development roles at St. George’s School (Newport, RI) and Brown University. The son of a PGA Professional, Conor developed a keen interest in golf at an early age and benefited significantly from lessons learned on the golf course. He is excited to contribute to similar hands-on learning experiences for youth in the Charleston area.
Conor hails from New England but has strong family ties to Charleston and is eager to be an active member of the community.
Conor enjoys history, cooking, and spending time with his wife, Amy, and daughter, Finley Anne. He also loves to play golf, particularly with pre-1930 hickory clubs that he collects and restores.
We are pleased to welcome local entrepreneur Juan Acevedo to our Board of Directors! He is joining an active group of 19 returning directors, which brings total board membership to 20.
Born in Columbia, South America and raised in Columbus, Ohio, Juan Acevedo developed a passion for athletics at an early age. He was an All-American high school soccer player and went on to play for Ohio State University.
After college, Acevedo ventured to South Florida where he opened several successful businesses. In 1995, he became a McDonald’s owner-operator and was awarded his first store in Ft. Lauderdale. In 1999, he relocated to Charleston, acquiring 7 McDonald’s restaurants and building 3 more stores.
Acevedo recently sold his McDonald’s restaurants but is still involved in the industry as a partner, investing in farm-to-table Mexican restaurants in San Diego (Lola 55).
In addition to serving Charleston Area youth through First Tee, Acevedo has been instrumental in the growth of the Ronald McDonald House Charity Golf Tournament in Charleston, an event that has raised more than $2,500,000 over the last 10 years to help families with children battling cancer.
Outside of work and community service, Juan enjoys spending time with his wife (Lina) and two children (Camille and Lucas).
Pathfinder Immersion Program participants visit College of Charleston for a robotics lesson.
January 1, 2024 | Press Release
First Tee – Greater Charleston is kicking off the New Year with a new name for its golf and STEM enrichment program. The Pathfinder Immersion Program, which launched under the name Game Changers in 2021, will continue providing year-round athletic, academic, and social/emotional support to students grades 6-12. The rebrand, set in motion by a Board of Directors vote in November, simply aims to more clearly communicate program objectives.
“We say it all the time… ‘First Tee – Greater Charleston is Building Game Changers.’ That means all of our programs–immersion, on-course/after-school, in-school, and community outreach–are Building Game Changers,” says Bucky Dudley, Executive Director. “Rebranding the immersion program is just a formality, but we hope the distinction between our tagline and this specific program will help people better understand what we’re trying to accomplish–at an organizational and program level.”
First Tee’s mission is to positively impact the lives of youth by providing structured educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choice through the game of golf. The newly dubbed Pathfinder Immersion Program is merely one tool in First Tee – Greater Charleston’s toolbox.
Dudley says “It’s still the same great program.” That means Pathfinder Immersion Program participants will continue to enjoy a full day of enrichment activities Monday through Friday each summer and Saturday meetups during the school year with all transportation, meals, and equipment provided at no cost thanks to generous donations.
A major component of the program, since its inception, has been and will continue to be professional development and STEM curriculum administered through enrichment partners such as Boeing, Synovus, College of Charleston, Charleston Southern University, Terracon, Frampton Construction, Main Ocean Logistics, Seafox Boats, and others. Pathfinder Immersion Program Director Lerone Johnson, Sr. says, “Our goal is to expose young people to a variety of educational options and career paths in hopes that they will be prepared to make informed choices as they mature into positive productive adults.”
Pathfinders visit Frampton Construction for a professional enrichment presentation.
The Pathfinder Immersion Program, will continue accepting a new class of rising sixth graders each summer and relies heavily on community support for continued expansion. Individuals who want to explore volunteer or enrichment partner opportunities are encouraged to contact Coach Johnson ([email protected]).
About First Tee – Greater Charleston
Established in 2008, First Tee – Greater Charleston serves young people, ages 5-18, from all walks of life. The 501(c)3 offers on-course, in-school, and community outreach programs that teach life-enhancing values and interpersonal skills through the game of golf. The organization reaches thousands of children each year in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties–19,869 young people in 2023 alone. Visit FirstTeeCHS.org to learn more.
About the Pathfinder Immersion Program
The Pathfinder Immersion Program launched in summer 2021 with six students. In 2022, the program earned the Barbara A. Douglass and Dr. William J. Powell Diversity Award from The TORO Foundation and was featured on the Golf Channel. In 2023, program participation increased to 22 students thanks to generous community support and USGA IDEA Grant funding. First Tee – Greater Charleston endeavors to serve more than 50 students through the Pathfinder Immersion Program by summer 2027. Visit FirstTeeCHS.org/pathfinders to learn more.
Program Update January 1, 2024: The Game Changers Immersion Program is now called Pathfinder Immersion Program. Learn more about the switch and our vision for Pathfinders here.
Charleston, SC–First Tee – Greater Charleston (FTGC) stepped into the national spotlight at First Tee Network Summit in Dallas, Texas last month as a recipient of the Barbara A. Douglas and Dr. William J. Powell Diversity Award. The award, presented by First Tee Headquarters (St. Augustine, FL) and The Toro Company (Bloomington, MN), recognizes outstanding leadership and commitment to promote ethnic diversity within local golf communities and the First Tee Network at large. Out of 150+ First Tee chapters, FTGC was one of two to receive this honor.
The Diversity Award is a relatively new addition to Network Summit, a bi-annual meeting of representatives from First Tee chapters around the world. It is named for Barbara A. Douglas, the first minority chairman of the United States Golf Association, and Dr. William J Powell, the first and only African American to design, build, own and operate his own golf course (Clearview Golf Club).
FTGC was nominated for the award based on geographic and financial accessibility of programming. The local 501(c)3 offers golf and life skills curriculum at 8 courses and 35 schools, 60% of which are Title I. 97% of children served receive programming free of charge. Additionally, FTGC impressed the award selection committee by pioneering a new immersion program for middle and high school students that includes STEAM curriculum, transportation, and meals in addition to golf instruction.
Staff members and stakeholders are floored by the award, but Executive Director Bucky Dudley says the work is just beginning…
“The Barbara A. Douglas and Dr. William J. Powell Diversity Award is a uniquely special honor. It’s wonderful to receive validation that we are on the right track, but the work doesn’t end here. Inclusion is not a destination. It’s a journey, and the way is paved with persistent invitations.”
Established in 2008, First Tee – Greater Charleston serves young people, ages 5-18, from all walks of life. The chapter offers on-course, in-school, and community programs to teach life skills through the game of golf to more than 17,000 children each year in Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester counties.
Judson McNeil, President of The Toro Foundation; Bucky Dudley, Executive Director of First Tee – Greater Charleston; Kharynton Beggs, First Tee Alumna; Coach Lerone Johnson, Director of Special Programs; Kendall Flock, Director of Marketing and Communications; Russ Playford, Board Treasurer
