Chapters can be the key to EIFG success

Fall is my favorite time of year. Aside from all the wonderful colors and the hunting and fishing opportunities, it signifies the end of the golfing season. It's a time to look back to determine what worked well and what didn't, and also a time to start preparing next year's budget. This is also the time of year when six of the seven Northwest chapters are having their annual meetings and are selecting new leadership. Chapters are preparing their budgets for the coming year and must decide which programs they are going to support in the coming season.

I am extremely pleased to announce that four NW chapters have decided to create a line item in their budgets to support the Environmental Institute for Golf. I would also like to thank the Intermountain GCSA, Idaho GCSA, and Inland Empire GCSA for pledging $500 in 2013. These funds will provide ongoing support towards educational programs, research, scholarship and advocacy.



At the delegates meeting in October, Rhett Evans, CEO of GCSAA and the EIFG, shared a video about the Institute. This video can also be found on the Institute's website. As much as I would like everyone to go to the site to watch it, I am posting it here for your convenience. Please take a few moments to watch it to familiarize yourself with the roll of the EIFG and consider making an individual donation or even a facility donation. The EIFG is the backbone of our association, and your support can contribute to its ongoing success.

Welcome to your new NW regional page

I am very excited to introduce to you the new Northwest region webpage. I hope you will bookmark this page and check in regularly to see what's happening across the region. My goal is to increase a sense of community across the eight states and seven chapters within our region.

I will be sharing stories from my visits throughout the year and highlighting your fellow members who are making a difference. I hope to hear from you too! If you have a story or any information you believe would be beneficial to your peers, please let me know. In my previous position as the superintendent at Stone Creek Golf Club, I was a frequent blogger on Stonecreeksuper.blogspot.com and am now looking forward to getting back in the swing of it.

This post is to designed to serve as an introduction, but I would also like to get right to business and urge you all to keep Colorado's Tracy Richard in your thoughts. Tracy is superintendent at Common Ground Golf Course in Aurora and is a past president of the RMGCSA. Tracy went into cardiac arrest on September 12th in the midst of the flooding catastrophe. Tracy has been in intensive care since then and has recently been moved to a new hospital to continue his rehabilitation. Tracy's course was completely under water and has now just nine holes open for play. The members of the RMGCSA have come together to support Tracy as well as other members who were affected by the flooding. Tracy's rehabilitation can be followed on the Caring Bridge website at: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/tracyrichard/mystory. Please visit the page and write a note of encouragement. I know your well wishes would mean the world to him.

Please bookmark this Northwest page and check back regularly for regional updates, resources, forum discussions, and of course, my blog!