Over the first eight years of the American Junior Golf Association event at Otter Creek, Foundation For Youth has been a beneficiary.
In 2019, the Circle K Junior Championship Hosted By Otter Creek committee made the Boys and Girls Club-Foundation For Youth its main beneficiary. FFY strives to develop character, leadership, positive identity and a commitment to lifelong learning through healthy lifestyles.
As a result, FFY has been able to provide roughly $250,000 in sliding fee scales and scholarships for its programs for kids with financial need.
“The AJGA investment every year goes toward making families meet that financial support whether it’s participation fees or camps,” FFY executive director Chuck Kime said. “If a kid wants to be a part of our basketball camp, and they come to us and need help, we try to provide that support for them.”
In turn, FFY volunteers at the tournament, doing things like picking up meals for the tournament crew and whatever else is needed.
“We jump in and help and play a supporting role where we can,” Kime said. “For the most part, it’s the good people in town helping out FFY. These people who put this thing together every year, they’re gracious and kind and excited to be able to support our kids, and that’s just exciting.”
Kime said in previous years, he has been able to take a group of mostly elementary-aged kids, but some up to age 15, to Otter Creek to watch some of the nation’s top junior golfers. FFY did not take its campers to the tournament last year, when spectators were limited because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“One of the things that we really like is being able to take kids from our club to the AJGA Tournament,” Kime said. “In 2019, we were able to take 50 or 80 kids out on a bus, and the AJGA provided all of those kids with water bottles and hats. They also got to see some of those (golfers) who have had success. Some of our staff members are pretty young themselves and found it pretty inspiring, as well.”
