First Tee – Greater New Orleans hosts inaugural 100 Hole Golf Marathon to support local youth and teens

Local golfers raise over $25,000 for afterschool programs

METAIRIE, LA – On Monday, August 31, First Tee – Greater New Orleans hosted its inaugural 100 Hole Golf Marathon at Metairie Country Club. 14 participants played in the 100-hole event and raised $25,762, earmarked for First Tee’s afterschool programs this fall and winter for local youth and teens. Over 200 individuals and companies participated by donating to the golf marathon.

For 16 years, First Tee — Greater New Orleans has been creating experiences that build character to empower kids through a lifetime of new challenges and continuous personal growth. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee creates active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do.

First Tee’s character education programs are offered at 13 golf facilities, 60 elementary schools and two youth centers across the New Orleans community.

Billy Hoffmann, Senior Vice President, Corporate Banking at Hancock Whitney Bank, led all golfers by raising $10,596 for the 100 Hole Marathon. Players who surpassed their personal goal of raising $1,000 included: Damien Serauskas ($2,405), Brad Reese ($1,760), Nick Carey ($1,593), Logan Batiste ($1,580), August Jones ($1,543), Joseph Garrity ($1,515), Robert Emmett ($1,270), Angelica Harris ($1,110), and Mike Rodrigue ($1,000).

“First Tee — Greater New Orleans has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic like a lot of local non-profit organizations, so we’ve had to be creative in terms of how we raise the dollars needed to operate our programs,” said Chip Patterson, Executive Director. “We greatly appreciate Metairie Country Club and the golfers who joined us, who persevered through rain and a 3-hour lightning delay, to accomplish their goal of playing 100 holes of golf in a day in support of our kids.”

For more information about First Tee – Greater New Orleans, visit firstteenola.org.

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About First Tee — Greater New Orleans
First Tee – Greater New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Operating its afterschool and outreach programs at over 70 locations, First Tee Greater New Orleans reaches over 40,000 young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and at other youth-serving agencies throughout the region.

Since its inception in 1997, First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 15 million young people that spans 150 chapters across the U.S. and select international chapters. The First Tee’s Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Shell Oil Company is The First Tee’s Founding Corporate Partner and Johnson & Johnson is its Legacy Partner. Former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair.