‘Thrive’ing golf at Willow Creek
Fundraiser helps support ‘Gospel-centered’ program for ‘at-risk’ Knox youth
Willow Creek Golf Club — specifically the 10th Annual Thrive Don Campbell Golf Tournament hosted for the sixth consecutive time at WCGC recently — helps Thrive “provide for the spiritual, emotional, academic and physical needs of 240 students” across Knox County as a key fundraiser each year, a Thrive press release stated. “Our three main programs (are) Thrive After School, Thrive Summer and Mentoring.”
More than 150 participants, divided into team groups of four, played 18 holes, with three teams recognized as champion, runner-up and third place (see cutline for details).
Most importantly, Thrive collected “about $70,000” from the WCGC tourney, said Lori Bertelkamp McKelvy, Thrive Development director and tournament organizer.
“The goal of this tournament is to help raise money for food, academic support and additional resources for the students we serve,” kindergarten through high school, McKelvy stated in the release. “Through this event, we will raise awareness of Thrive and a substantial amount of our operating budget for the year.”
Clayton Wood, Thrive executive director for 11 years who has been with the program since 2011, told the gathering of tourney golfers after finishing their 18 holes of play “that in the time that I’ve been there we’ve seen a massive change in the culture around the care of the kids, and it’s had a tremendous impact on the kids. ... It’s a year-round after-school and summer program.”
Unlike 2011, “today I’m delighted to tell you we have a lot of success stories,” Wood added. “... The average kid is in our program for over 700 hours a year. And that is what helps transform their lives because they’re not able to get into the trouble they may otherwise get in(to). ... They’re learning how to work, they’re learning how to get jobs, they’re learning how to help others.” All of this “is free to the parents” (donation supported).
“ ... Kids (learn) they are responsible for their own choices, and (that) we despise entitlement and grievance.”
In terms of knowing how to deal with life’s adversities and challenges, these youth “don’t have positive examples in their lives to show them how to do that” before Thrive comes along, Wood said.
The executive director praised some of the mothers of these Thrive at-risk youth as being “absolute heroes for reaching out and saying, ‘I need help, I don’t know how to do this, and I want my child to have a better life than I had.’”
For example, “A lot of the kids do their homework with us (because) their parents can’t read,” Wood said. “... There’s nobody at home to ask for help.”
Also benefitting, in terms of being blessed for their contributions, are “college students who are ministering” to the at-risk youth, the executive director said.
As a tip-of-the-hat to WCGC and the participating golfers, “Thank you for helping us help them,” he told the gathering. “The support that you offer is really important to us.”
Encouraging the tourney participants to visit a Thrive campus, Wood said, “Coming around them and saying ‘this is what I do’ helps give them a vision and dream for their life that’s positive.
“The most important thing is for you to talk to them about the things that matter most for eternity in your life,” he added about contributing to the spiritual aspect of Thrive.
This program has locations for youth in East, South and West Knoxville. Learn more about Thrive and its work in Knoxville and Knox County at www.HelpUsThrive.com
Closest to Pin, Longest Drive
Closest to the Pin (off the tee) on No. 2 hole was West Hood (2 inches); Closest to the Pin (off the tee) on No. 11 hole was Eli Morgan (3 feet); and Longest Drive was Grant Bodie, one of the foursome who won the team championship (see photo/cutline).
