Elks’ Junior Golf completes first season
The Junior Golf program of the Presque Isle Elks, Lodge 1954, completed its first season at the Presque Isle Country Club on Aug. 30, 2015.
According to program chair, Barry Madore, “the program was very successful this year. Twenty-two young people between the ages of 9 and 14 participated in the nine-week program. The young people were introduced to the game of golf, which is an outdoor recreational activity they can enjoy for their entire life. They also learned some fundamental lessons that will assist them throughout their lives, most notably respect, respect for others, respect for the rules of the game of golf, and respect for the golf course property and environment.”
Alan Harding, exalted ruler of the Presque Isle Elks, explained that the program is one component of the Elks’ drug awareness and prevention program.
“Participating in a golf program has been shown to be a significant deterrent to youth involvement in illegal drug use,” Harding said. “Golf is an outdoor recreational activity that builds socialization and communication skills, self-esteem, decision making and acceptance of rules governing conduct. All of these things have been demonstrated to significantly diminish the likelihood of unlawful drug use.”
The Elks’ sponsorship of Junior Golf at the Presque Isle Country Club was funded with a Beacon Grant from the Elks National Foundation. It was undertaken in order to enable any young person who has an interest in golf to be able to do so, irrespective of the financial cost. The local Elks Lodge underwrote the cost to the extent necessary to allow any young person to participate. Additionally, the local Elks Lodge provided advertising and promotion for the program in order to encourage more young people in this area to get involved in the game of golf.
Other youth programs sponsored by the Presque Isle Elks, as part of its drug awareness and prevention program, are the “Hooked on Fishing, Not Drugs” youth fishing derby, the Hoop Shoot foul shooting contest and the Soccer Shoot penalty kick competition.
