White Sulphur Springs— The Greenbrier Classic, a PGA TOUR, FedEx Cup event, have begun their 2012 Badges for Charity program. The program, designed to give back to participating non-profit organizations throughout West Virginia, Virginia and other national programs, generated more than $150,000 last year through weekly badges sales.
This year, the West Virginia Golf Association (WVGA) will participate in the Badges for Charity program, along with The First Tee of West Virginia, which is now under the umbrella of the WVGA. All proceeds made from Badges for Charity will benefit the West Virginia Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
By selecting the WVGA as the Badges of Charity of choice, funds will go toward our junior golf programs, including the Little General Juniors and The First Tee of West Virginia. The Golf Foundation also provides scholarships for graduating high school seniors, the William C. Campbell Scholarship. More than $80,000 in college scholarships have been awarded since the Campbell Scholarship's inception in 1997. The foundation also works to promote the preservation of the rich history of golf in West Virginia.
Junior golf programs in West Virginia are designed for children as young as five and extend through the age of 18. The WVGA's Little General Juniors program, sponsored by Little General Stores, is a beginning golf program, designed for kids ages 5-12. The program teaches the basic fundamentals of golf, including chipping, putting and golf course etiquette. As kids move forward from Little General Juniors, we encourage them to participate in The First Tee of West Virginia programming, as well as the Top Flite Junior Tour, sponsored by Callaway Golf.
Effective March 1, the WVGA will oversee operations of The First Tee of West Virginia. It is through this transition that efforts for this organization will spread throughout West Virginia. As the program continues to grow throughout the Kanawha Valley and Beckley area, The First Tee of West Virginia will be available in six regions throughout the state during this initial year. The First Tee of West Virginia is designed to instill Nine Core Values into area youth: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment, through the game of golf. The WVGA will also work, through The First Tee of West Virginia, to introduce the Nine Healthy Habits into participating students. The Healthy Habits fall into three categories: physical, emotional and social. The Habits include energy, play and safety, for physical; vision, mind and family, for emotional; and friends, school and community for the social category.
The Top Flite Junior Tour is a competitive golf tour, conducted by the WVGA and the WVPGA, with more than 20 tournaments throughout the season. The Tour is made available for boys and girls, ages 10-18. Players are broken up into age divisions and receive points at each tournament, based on their results. The Tour provides players with a competitive atmosphere for golf, which can prepare them for high school and collegiate golf, as well as State Championships.
By supporting the West Virginia Golf Association and The First Tee of West Virginia, you are supporting the most important initiatives to keep golf growing in the Mountain State, as well as promoting healthy lifestyles for our future generations.
In 2009, the West Virginia Golf Foundation inducted its first members into the West Virginia Golf Hall of Fame. William C. Campbell and the late Sam Snead were the first inductees, as Ed Tutwiler was inducted in 2010 and Harold Payne in 2011. It is our plan to continue inducting and recognizing those who have made a large impact on golf in the Mountain State, by enshrining a new member each year. It is imperative to maintain continued support of the West Virginia Golf Foundation for the Hall of Fame, as well as all Foundation programming, to continue in the future.
The Badges for Charity program will be available until June 15. The WVGA and The First Tee of West Virginia will receive 30 percent of the proceeds from all badges purchased on their behalf. Weekly badges begin at $159 for grounds passes.
For more information on The Greenbrier Classic's Badges for Charity program, visit
www.greenbrierclassic.com. Visit
www.wvga.org for more information on the WVGA and our efforts through the West Virginia Golf Foundation.
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