Backspin July_2017 | Page 11

juniorspin The First Tee Partners with Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust to Expand Summer Programs For Young People The First Tee of Greater New Orleans, a nonprofit youth development organization that helps young people develop character and learn life skills through the game of golf, has expanded its summer programs in 2017, thanks to support provided by the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust. The First Tee will provide summer camp opportunities for over 600 students at Joseph Bartholomew Golf Course as a result of the partnership. The expansion will allow The First Tee of Greater New Orleans to reach over 1,000 participants with the out-of-school time programs in 2017 – the most in the organization’s 13-year history. The First Tee will partner with several local non-profit and university summer camps to provide students ages 5-15 with an introduction to The First Tee’s Nine Core Values, Nine Healthy Habits and the game of golf. The summer camp programs will take place from June 5 through July 28 at Bartholomew Golf Course at Pontchartrain Park, and there is no cost for the participants and organizations involved. The Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust provided The First Tee a $50,000 grant to provide scholarships to all 600 youth and teens who will participate in the summer programs. “We’re excited about expanding our summer program to these new partner organizations,” said Executive Director, Chip Patterson. “Our continuous goal is to provide engaging out-of-school time programs across the greater New Orleans region, and by partnering with various youth development agencies and universities, we’ll be able to reach students from neighborhoods that may not have access to a golf facility. Without the support of the Oscar J. Tolmas Charitable Trust, this program wouldn’t be possible, so we most especially want to thank them for their support and commitment to supporting youth in New Orleans.” The First Tee also has summer camps taking place at several other golf course locations across the region, including; Audubon Golf Club, City Park, TPC Louisiana, Stone Bridge Golf Club, Timberlane Country Club, Oak Harbor Golf Club, Cypress Lakes Country Club and Grand Ridge Golf Club. Registration is currently open at the chapter’s website, www. thefirstteenola.org/register, for youth and teens ages 5-18. Participants who become certified in The First Tee program become eligible to apply for free opportunities that include participation in golf camps, clinics, and tournaments across the country, college scholarships and other incentives. 11