Nearly 50 volunteers, a collection of Golf Course Superintendents from the states of Oregon and Washington working together with Military Veterans repaired the Children’s Course from the damages of the recent ice storm and prepared the Golf Course for Spring in a large, collaborative effort on March 8^th. This all-volunteer labor force provided time and equipment to aerify the greens, reconstruct the practice green, and complete extensive course clean up and debris removal. In one single day this volunteer army transformed the course and gave the Children’s Course a jumpstart to the golf season.

The effort was a collaboration of the Oregon Golf Course Superintendents Association (OGCSA) and the Western Washington Golf Course Superintendents Association (WWGCSA). Each is a regional chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).Members of the two chapters were joined once again by volunteers from the 2019 service project, veterans of American Armed Forces from American Lake Veterans Golf Course.

The Children’s Course operates as a non-profit 501 (c) (3), and is funded by private donations from foundations, corporations and individuals. The golf course is home to the First Tee -Greater Portland which teaches youth, character-building life skills through the game of golf. In 1996 founder, Duncan Campbell and his wife Cindy, had a vision to create a golf course that would be dedicated to children. The Children’s Course was born from this vision. Providing a location for children to learn and play the game of golf was just part of Duncan’s plan.

Marti Loeb, Executive Director of the Children’s Course, expressed it this way: “What an amazing day it was! To see the golfing community from Oregon and Washington come together, volunteer and support our course was more than we ever could have imagined. As a non-profit we often times have limited resources. With the volunteer help we accomplished in a day what likely would have taken us months. We can’t thank everyone enough!”

In 2021 the Children’s Course will be celebrating its 25^th anniversary with the official unveiling of their new clubhouse. The OGCSA and WWGCSA are honored to partner once again and give back to the community utilizing their professional expertise and resources to grow the game that we all love and enjoy.

A special thanks to all the volunteers and donors that made this day possible: B&B Leasing, Gladstone Disposal; DryJect Turf Services; General Tree Service; Marion Ag Services; Pacific Sports Turf; Pacific Golf & Turf; Turfstar Western; Wilbur Ellis Company; and Walrath Trucking