United Way day at the PGA
What do you get when you join forces between the 92nd PGA Championship, Kohler Co. and the Wisconsin United Ways? You get a partnership that values building healthy relationships between adults and children through youth programs that highlight education.
The result of that partnership produced a successful event, “United Way Day at the PGA” on Tuesday, Aug. 10, at the 92nd PGA Championship at Whistling Straits, arranged through a personal invitation from Earnie Ellison, PGA director of business and community relations.
The Sheboygan and Plymouth Area United Way coordinated the event that brought nine Wisconsin United Ways, 106 children and their 40 mentors – representing non-profit youth agencies and organizations – together for a morning of youth activities at Whistling Straits. Participating Wisconsin United Ways included:
• Sheboygan and Plymouth Area United Way, Sheboygan • United Way of Inner Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids • Fond du Lac Area United Way, Fond du Lac • Oshkosh Area United Way, Oshkosh • United Way Fox Cities, Menasha • United Ways of Marathon County, Wausau • United Way of Dane County, Madison • United Way Manitowoc County, Inc., Manitowoc
• Brown County United Way, Green Bay
The morning activities included a “Getting in the Swing with the PGA” hunt for clues about the PGA and its life lessons through the sport of golfing. The activity was organized by coordinators Erik Wagner of the Family Resource Centers of Sheboygan County and Mike Burns of the Sheboygan County YMCA, both members of the Sheboygan and Plymouth Area United Way’s Positive Youth Development Initiative: Healthy Communities, Healthy Youth.
The children explored the PGA Town Center searching for clues and special prizes donated by the United Way, the PGA and Kohler Co. Activities included putting together a puzzle of the PGA grounds at Whistling Straits, signing a banner with their impressions of the day’s activities and receiving a special “Living United” T-shirt. Box lunches provided by the PGA and Kohler Co. were shared by the youth and their mentors in the PGA Town Center.
All visitors to the PGA Town Center were entertained and educated by the special United Way DVD that highlighted all of the education initiatives being supported by the nine participating Wisconsin United Ways. The DVD was produced by Stewart Stroup of Grassland Media, Fitchburg, Wis.
The Youth Activities culminated with a special address to the children by Laura Kohler, senior vice president – Human Resources of Kohler Co., stressing that it takes a team to put on a golf tournament of the magnitude of the PGA Championship and that teamwork in life works just the same way. Working together produced an event that included an educational and fun time for the children and produced a national event that millions of people enjoyed. Kohler expressed her appreciation to the United Ways and the PGA for creating a wonderful example of teamwork for the young attendees to observe and take home with them.
An early morning VIP Golf Outing was also held on Aug. 10, at Blackwolf Run, Kohler, for 36 leadership donors from all of the participating United Ways, sponsored by the PGA of America. The golfers attended a luncheon in the Treaty Room and were welcomed by Cindy Howley, manager of Kohler Stewardship at Kohler Co. and co-chair of community relations, 92nd PGA Championship and William Weissert, executive director of the Sheboygan and Plymouth Area United Way. The PGA provided a shuttle for the golfers to the Whistling Straits Championship Course for an afternoon tour of the grounds.
The day’s events ended with a special reception hosted by Ellison in the PGA of America Chalet in the Irish Village at Whistling Straits. One hundred twenty-five guests were addressed by Howley, Ellison, keynote speaker Laura Kohler and Nan Taylor, a United Way volunteer from United Way of Inner Wisconsin, Wisconsin Rapids.
A special display of award-winning cheeses produced by Sartori Foods of Plymouth was enjoyed by the guests compliments of Jim and Jan Sartori, 2010 campaign chairs for the Sheboygan and Plymouth Area United Way.
The PGA of America plans to repeat its United Way partnership forged here in Wisconsin in the other communities throughout the United States that host the annual PGA Championship.
