Grand Rapids/Sparta Moose Lodge #50 HAKOG's Site of the Year

3/6/2018

The Hook A Kid On Golf program has become a staple within the Grand Rapids/Sparta Moose Lodge #50 organization in Michigan, and it continues to grow every year.

“We love running the Hook A Kid On Golf program at the Lodge,” said Steven Ross, Chairperson for the Grand Rapids/Sparta Moose Lodge #50 Hook A Kid On Golf Committee, which has conducted the program for kids there for more than eight years now. “Every year the program gets bigger and better. This year we had 35 kids in the program. It was great.”

The 2017 Hook A Kid On Golf Site of the Year winner has impacted many lives throughout the community.

“One of the kids that participated this year had cerebral palsy,” Ross said. “His mother volunteered to stay and help, but he would not do anything with the mom present. As soon as his mother left, one of our volunteers and another participant took this child off to the side and spent one-on-one time with him, helping him and making sure he was able to keep up with the other kids. This is the type of support we have received all year.”

That support could be seen in many other areas, too.

 “I am so proud of the support I received from our coaches and volunteers,” Ross said. “Everyone stepped up this year in a really big way and were extremely supportive. Anything I asked them to do, they got it done. From paperwork, to making sure each kid had the correct shirt and hat, to collecting balls on the course, every aspect was covered.”

The program received a fund-raising boost thanks to a special event that was held in the community.

“To raise funds for this year’s program, one of our members, Emily Schmidt, held a special golf outing to honor her late husband, Tom, who was a huge Hook A Kid On Golf supporter,” Ross said. “I would like to send a special thank you to Mrs. Schmidt, and all of the other members who participated in the outing.”

Having a wonderful support system is important in running a successful program, and that is exactly what the Grand Rapids/Sparta Moose Lodge #50 had.

“Seeing all of the kids interacting with one another and learning about golf is something I truly enjoy,” said Ross. “This program teaches kids the rules of the game, how to work as a team, and be respectful towards your teammates. To me, that is something that will never get old.”

With anticipation already building for next year, only great things are in store for the Grand Rapids/Sparta Moose Lodge #50 and youngsters in the community.

“I could not have done this without all of the support I received from my staff and coaches,” Ross said. “Everyone was great from the beginning of the program to the end. The NAYS team did a wonderful job making sure we had everything we needed and were highly organized, which made our job a lot easier. Throughout the course of the program there were no hiccups and everything ran smoothly. All of the support we received was terrific.”

Hook A Kid On Golf

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