Russ Stocek
This year Robson Ranch golfers donated to the Junior Golf Association of AZ. In previous years we donated to The First Tee of Phoenix. Both are great organizations to help kids get interested and involved in golf. Russ Stocek collected, organized and counted all the items. This year it filled his garage and was so much that it took two trips of filling the JGAA van to get the items to Junior Golf.
Founded in 1983, the Junior Golf Association of Arizona (JGAA) is a non-profit organization that introduces Arizona’s youth to the game of golf and helps junior golfers develop golf and life skills through competitive programs and tournaments. In addition to developing programs at schools and assisting Arizona golf courses with their junior programs, the JGAA conducts more than 100 programs and activities, including etiquette clinics, tournaments and college prep seminars throughout Arizona each year. The JGAA awards two scholarship funds annually to high school senior members of the JGAA for their college education – the Tres Arnold and the John Wolfinger Memorial College Scholarships. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2013, JGAA’s strong belief in teamwork and cooperation continues to guide the organization and is instilled in all of its members.
In fulfilling its mission, the JGAA believes that through participation the youth of Arizona will be encouraged to value honesty and integrity, develop perseverance, self-confidence, patience, sportsmanship and enjoy the game of golf for a lifetime. If you want more information check out their website at jgaa.org.
We collected 37 golf bags, 117 woods, 251 irons and 39 putters. This was more than the collection of last year. In addition, we almost doubled the number of golf balls with 7100 collected. The record for golf balls was back in 2012 when we collected almost 10,000 balls. Wow, and I had to count them all!
The collection included 33 pairs of golf shoes, six pull carts, many headcovers, hats, visors and towels. There were bags of golf clothing, as well as golf instructional books. Who would not benefit from reading suggestions for improving your golf game by Jack Nicklaus, Dave Pelz and others. We even had a Radar Launch meter along with two shag bags and a practice net.
Russ Stocek has collected the golf equipment each year to give residents an opportunity to empty their garage or golf cabinet of the items that they no longer need. Some of us buy new equipment occasionally (or frequently!) and it is a great time to clean out that cabinet. Russ has done this for the last eight or nine years and will probably do it again next year. So, save up those used or even new golf balls, that putter that no longer works or even that driver that has lost some of its distance (it could not be us!). Next spring will be the 2019 collection.