Program Director Franco Zerna at last year’s Games.
Last summer, First Tee – Minnesota was one of over 50 nonprofits that participated in the City of Lakes Community Summer Games. The purpose of the Games is to bring healing and joy to children in North Minneapolis by introducing them to a wide variety of sports—including golf.
With help from GolfZilla—an inflatable golf-loving version of the original dinosaur—we converted North Commons Park into a golf learning center complete with a driving range, a practice putting green, and great instruction from PGA teaching pros and First Tee coaches.
First Tee – Minnesota is back this summer with an expanded program thanks to U.S. Bank’s generous support. For the five Saturday mornings of the Summer Games—July 9 through August 6—we are offering free golf clinics at North Commons Park and at Columbia Golf Course. The clinics are free, but we ask each participant to provide an hour of community service on Saturday mornings under the inspirational leadership of Coach Mike Tate and his Northside Bulldogs.
If you have a child who would like to participate or if you would like to volunteer, please email us at info@firstteeminnesota.org. We will provide more details on the schedule and service opportunities.
Thanks to the hospitality of First Tee – Naples/Collier, Matt Stolte and Gabriella Ishaq represented First Tee – Minnesota at the 15th Golf to Paradise-First Tee Champions Challenge. This event attracted golfers from many of the 150 chapters of the First Tee network and it is one of the many national events our golfers participate in throughout the year. Matt and Gabby also participated in U.S. Bank’s “Real Good Moments” event with Collin Morikawa and were thrilled to use the Team Morikawa bags they received from TaylorMade.
Many thanks to the 80+ participants who completely filled Park Tavern. Thanks also to our excellent sponsors for their support, including:
Park Tavern
3M Open
Minnesota Wild
Thr3 Jack Restaurant
TPC Twin Cities
Minneapolis Park & Recreation Golf Courses
Foley Company
The Wilds
This scoring sheet will be updated after each round of the tournament. At the conclusion of the tournament, the winner of each division will be announced … and then it’s on to the Masters!
Through its “Real Good Moments” initiative, U. S. Bank partnered with two-time major champion, Collin Morikawa, to recognize and reward organizations that are giving back to their communities. The most recent campaign put the spotlight on First Tee – Minnesota and six high school students who demonstrated reslilience and other life skills taught by First Tee. As you can see on the surprised faces of the students, Collin’s appearance was a huge surprise! First Tee – Minnesota appreciates the kind words of Collin Morikawa and U.S. Bank’s generous gift of $10,000 to the First Tee – Minnesota chapter. Your support is helping our chapter Build Game Changers in the state of Minnesota!
Minneapolis, MN – December 22, 2021 – Thanks to the generosity of the Thielen Foundation and its partners including Choice Bank, Hormel Foods, Caribou Coffee, Cargill, EY, State Farm, Pulte Homes, Elite Ink, Northwestern Mutual and others, First Tee – Minnesota today received a donation of $25,000.
According to Amy Sinclair, executive director of the Thielen Foundation, “In the end, our mission stems directly from Adam and Caitlin, and ultimately it is their generosity and consistent commitment to the Minnesota community that allows Thielen Foundation to make this donation — we are so thankful to be able to carry out their mission to so many people and children, especially during the holidays.”
Upon receiving the news of the gift, Jim Triggs, CEO of First Tee – Minnesota, said “This incredibly generous gift is a game changer because it makes the life skills we teach through the game of golf available to more kids—especially those in underserved communities. The Thielen Foundation’s commitment to Minnesota is such a wonderful inspiration—especially this time of year. We are very grateful.”
According to Triggs, First Tee – Minnesota plans to use the donation to accelerate the work it is doing on the Northside of Minneapolis and in other underserved communities in Minnesota.
First Tee – Minnesota is one of 11 non-profit Minnesota organizations chosen to receive a donation, with gifts totaling $375,000.
Heritage Youth Sports Foundation honored for its support of youth sports and volunteerism in North Minneapolis.
Earlier this year, First Tee – Minnesota began working with Coach Mike Shelton and the Heritage Youth Sports Foundation to support its Northside Golf Club. This fledgling group of young, enthusiastic golfers began with clinics at the football field at North Commons Park in North Minneapolis. From there, Coach Mike, Coach Mikey Grant, and First Tee – Minnesota program director Aaron Shafransky worked with the kids at Columbia Golf Course and Theodore Wirth Golf Course.
On December 2, 2021, the Today Show celebrated the Foundation’s work on its “Season of Giving Toy Drive.”
You will notice at the beginning of video that Kennedy—one of the participants in the summer clinics—says golf is her favorite sport. Music to our ears!
The iconic red barn at Three Rivers Park District’s Baker National Golf Course. Baker National is also an Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary.
MINNEAPOLIS—November 14, 2021 – As the popularity of golf continues to surge, First Tee — Minnesota, with the support of First Tee Headquarters, has taken important steps to give greater access to the character development programs offered to youth around the state. The organization announced today it will merge with First Tee – Three Rivers Park District, bringing total enrollment in First Tee – Minnesota to more than 5,000 participants at 25 locations across the state.
“Our collaboration with First Tee – Three Rivers Park District has always been positive and the combined organization will help us better manage the growing demand for our programs,” says First Tee – Minnesota CEO Jim Triggs, who joined as the organization’s first CEO earlier this year. “We look forward to opening the door to many more youth, empowering them to pursue their goals both on and off the golf course.”
Three Rivers Park District golf courses and learning centers include Baker National Golf Course in Medina, Eagle Lake Youth Golf Center and Parkers Lake Driving Range in Plymouth, Hyland Greens Golf Course in Bloomington, Cleary Lake Golf Course in Prior Lake, and Glen Lake Golf & Practice Center in Minnetonka. Adding these program sites to existing programs in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Woodbury, Rochester and St. Croix Valley brings the total locations of First Tee – Minnesota to 25.
“We are excited to continue our work growing the game and working with the kids in our communities. Our 20 year run with the First Tee has been a very important to us and we are glad it is going to continue,” said Jeff May of Three Rivers Park District.
“Our work with Three Rivers is just the start,” adds Triggs. “We want to build game changers throughout the state of Minnesota, giving kids the opportunity to participate in our programs and access the many leadership and college scholarship programs offered by the First Tee Headquarters and other foundations that support our chapter.”
“When there are opportunities to combine forces for good – like in this case – there is little doubt that young people and the community benefit,” said Jennifer Weiler, Senior Vice President of Network Relations at First Tee Headquarters. “We are focused on the future and how we can continue to thoughtfully create opportunities to enrich our impact and reach more youth, especially from underserved and underrepresented communities, throughout Minnesota.”
First Tee enables kids and teens to build the strength of character that empowers them through a lifetime of new challenges, by seamlessly integrating the game of golf with life skills for kids who might not otherwise have exposure to golf and the life lessons learned through the game. First Tee provides active learning experiences that develop inner strength, self-confidence and resilience that kids can carry into everything they set out to accomplish. For more, visit firstteeminnesota.org.
Golf Day at the City of Lakes Community Summer Games took place on Sunday, August 8, 2021 just a few hours before hundreds of Summer Games participants attempted to break two Guinness Book of World Records. All of these events took place at North Commons Park, Minneapolis, where First Tee – Minnesota transformed the football field into a golf learning center featuring a driving range and putting green. Our program directors and coaches were on hand to teach the basics of the golf and the life skills that are part of First Tee’s curriculum. This event was made possible by Toro Company’s Growing the Game Grant.
Thanks to the sponsorship of Foley Company, 50 kids from the Heritage Youth Sports Foundation in North Minneapolis and Urban Ventures in South Minneapolis participated in a golf clinic during the practice rounds of the 3M Open. Many thanks to Chantel McCabe for hosting the event at the driving range, and John Thomas of the Timberwolves and Houston White for sharing their life stories with the boys and girls.
