Canoe Brook Members Support First Tee Of Raritan Valley

Every member of Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit was recently asked if he or she would like to make a $10 donation to The First Tee of Raritan Valley. They almost all did so.

“This seemed to us a natural – and smart – thing for us to do, to support The First Tee,” explained CBCC Board of Directors member Stephen Shunk. “The First Tee is moving mountains to not only grow the game of golf, but to create engaged new citizens. By giving to The First Tee, we are contributing both to the game we love, and to the communities we all live in.”

The contributions by CBCC members, $7,470, will go a long way in supporting The First Tee of Raritan Valley.

A catalyst for the gift to The First Tee has been the Red Hoffman Cup Matches, which support all regional TFT chapters. Steve Shunk is CBCC’s current Hoffman Cup Matches team captain, and Jeff Parker has led the team’s fundraising in support of The First Tee over the past three seasons.

“These gifts allow us to use golf as the vehicle to instill nine core values that we feel are essential to our kids as they navigate through high school, college and life,” said Mike Blackwell, Executive Director of TFTRV. “In 2014 we will touch 45,000 local youths in various programs, including at 90 schools in our region.”

At a recent meeting at Canoe Brook, Sayaka Carpenter, a First Tee high school sophomore (and captain of her high school golf team) met with Greg Russo, CBCC President; Jeff Parker, CBCC member; Stephen Shunk; and Bob O’Connell, TFTRV President, to accept CBCC’s contribution. “It is such an honor to receive this donation from the members of Canoe Brook,” commented Sayaka. “We all appreciate their interest and support.”

This is just the latest in CBCC’s contributions within the golfing community. For example, CBCC is always among the leading clubs in contributions to the NJSGA Caddie Scholarship program.

TFTRV Board Member and Red Hoffman Cup Matches Director Kevin Casey notes CBCC’s leadership and generosity are part of the club’s modus operandi. “For three years in a row, and out of the 32 clubs in our Matches, the CBCC team has led all teams in contributions. Canoe Brook takes being engaged seriously,” says Casey. “It seems as though, if CBCC members get involved at all, they’re all in!”

Find out more about The First Tee and you’ll understand why the Canoe Brook members made their donations.