Helping charities, $2 at a time

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Forgive me for harping about Barry Keeffe’s group at Cypress, but what he does may be the most honorable in golf.

The ongoing truth is that if I get excited about the leadership he provides, other golfers might pick up the mantle and learn firsthand the difference that a small group of players can make by installing their own gift of charity.

So what is it that Keeffe does that leaves him a cut or two above the rest of us? His golfing group at Cypress raises funds for local charities each time they play. Each week, they set aside a small portion of their weekly entrance fees to fund numerous projects.

In memory of one of their long-time members, the group recently donated $200 to Flagler Hospice. Now they have spent $300 to buy chances at two ball drops to benefit Family Promise of Flagler and United Cerebral Palsy. Funds are being set aside as I write this to continue several ongoing projects.

Take a few minutes to think about your own golf group. If we set aside a measly $2 a week over and above entrance fees and did it with 15 players for 52 weeks, charity is looking at $1,560 per year.

My word, that seems so easy to do. And if someone out there without a bed or food gets help, we would equal the smiles whenever our heads hit the pillows at night.

I’ve often stated that golf is the greatest sport invented. I utter those words even though I worked radio with the Boston’s biggest sports franchises (Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox) the University of New Hampshire football and hockey teams and played the sport of baseball and soccer from a youngster until war called.

One could rightly believe that one of those sports is the greatest. But I say no. Golf is for two reasons: We can play it into our 80s and 90s, and we can do charitable things every week of the year, just as Barry Keeffe does with his Cypress brethren.

Henry Angle, one of the Grand Club owners, offers a good thought:

“Perhaps we could encourage a tournament with teams from within all the various golf groups found in and around Palm Coast. Have each team nominate a charity, then, on the day of the tournament, pull several charities from a hat to share the funds raised.”

Thanks to the Barry Keeffe standard, my $2 is on the table each golfing week.

How about yours?