At Synter Resource Group, we love to support local chapters of nonprofit organizations. We care about our community and love to give back each year.
One such organization that our employees have the privilege of working with each year is The Greater Charleston First Tee Organization (GCFTO). The GCFTO boasts this mission:
“To positively impact the lives of our local youth by providing
structured educational programs that build character, instill life
enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through
the game of golf.”
With this mission in place, the GCFTO reaches:
- “700+ youth each year with [their] Core Values and character building life skills [and]
- “31 elementary schools in Charleston and Berkeley counties enrolled in [their] National School Program where over 13,000 local students learn golf and life skills every year.
The GCFTO multiplies their efforts by partnering together with other nonprofits, such as the City of Charleston Recreation department, the Special Olympics, Wings for Kids, Lowcountry Autism, and the YMCA.
On top of all this great work, the GCFTO leads youth to the beat of their “Nine Healthy Habits” drum. Instilling these healthy habits in First Tee youth deeply impacts their immediate and long-term futures.
Physical Health: Energy, Play, and Safety
The only way to live a healthy life is to use the energy your body has to make choices and take action. All humans gain energy through drinking and eating, and so, it is imperative to the GCFTO that their child-golfers understand how to consume the best drinks and food for them. The organization teaches children to drink and eat food that nourishes their bodies, giving them healthy and optimal energy levels. Without energy, no one can play! Play gives children the ability to make social connections, be happy about exercising, and sustain impeccable musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health. With the proper safety precautions, a child can learn to use their energy to play in a way that makes everyone involved happy and healthy.
Emotional Health: Vision, Mind, and Family
Kids learn to create an internal vision for their future by learning golf and character-building skills. Keeping this vision in mind empowers children to sculpt their logic, encourage deep thought, and problem-solve on their own. By incorporating family into this game of golf, family structures and relationships thrive; the entire family is statistically more likely to be healthy when this happens!
Social Health: Friends, School, and Community
By golfing together, children are given the opportunity to have a given icebreaker when meeting other youth in the GCFTO’s programs. There is an immediate common ground where kids can feel comfortable conversing with their peers. With this in place, they can develop friendships easier, learn to deal with tough interpersonal situations, and grow in their role as a community member. When children are happy outside of school, they do better in school. When children succeed in school, they are more likely to give back to their communities in a way that is meaningful to them and their neighbors.