St. Petersburg, FL (June 8, 2017) – The First Tee of St. Petersburg, a non-profit organization which provides life skills and character education for all children through the game of golf, will break ground on its Manning Family Mentoring Center at Twin Brooks Golf Course, 3800 22nd Ave. S., on Saturday, June 24, at 10 a.m. The groundbreaking ceremony will include St. Petersburg Mayor Rick Kriseman, Deputy Mayor Kanika Tomalin, First Tee of St. Petersburg Executive Director Rick Waltman, First Tee of St. Petersburg President Mike Puffer and First Tee board members. Other invited guests include St. Petersburg City Council members, local officials, and major sponsors who helped the chapter realize its dream. A portion of funding for the building was supported by St. Petersburg City Council through a Community Development Block Grant.
The mentoring center will serve participants of The First Tee of St. Petersburg, as well as many children served through local golf outreach programs living in the surrounding area. Through a continued partnership with the city, which has provided financial and in-kind support since the program became an independent non-profit in 2010, this dream is finally coming to fruition.
The purpose of the Mentoring and Learning Center is to provide a safe haven for local youth year-round. It will equip children who participate in The First Tee of St. Petersburg’s life skills and character development training to reach their full potential by encouraging healthy living, an appreciation for the outdoors, and to provide opportunities for giving back to golfers and non-golfers alike. The building will house the administrative offices of The First Tee of St. Petersburg, an art studio, a computer lab, an indoor recreation area, as well as multi-purpose classroom space. The Mission of The First Tee of St. Petersburg is to positively impact the youth of our communities by providing a learning environment and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf, while ensuring fair access for all children. All children are welcome to participate, regardless of ethnicity, ability or socio-economic status. For mo re information on programs through The First Tee of St. Petersburg, visit www.thefirstteestpetersburg.org.
Construction of the building is targeted for an August completion. Exciting partnership programs with Big Brothers/Big Sisters and other local organizations will begin immediately. The City of St. Petersburg, LPGA golfer Brittany Lincicome, The Community Foundation of Tampa Bay, all provided major support to the project, along with many generous individuals and companies.