Board member Ryan Kraushofer, CGCS, superintendent and general manager at Westminster (Md.) National Golf Course, and GCSAA president Paul L. Carter, CGCS, director of agronomy at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., add gold paint to engraved signatures at Signer's Island on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Photo by Abby Olcese
“It’s quite amazing to trace the signatures of the people who started our nation,” said Paul L. Carter, CGCS — director of agronomy at The Bear Trace at Harrison Bay in Harrison, Tenn., GCSAA president and 33-year member — as he added gold paint to an engraved signature.
Carter, along with Ryan Kraushofer, CGCS — superintendent and general manager at Westminster (Md.) National Golf Course, GCSAA board member and 23-year member — and Rhett Evans, GCSAA CEO, were among a select group of volunteers who painted in the names of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence on the Signer’s Island memorial at the National Mall. The Signer’s Island event was one of a few service projects on the Mall — others included mulching, painting and aerating — where 150 National Golf Day attendees rolled up their sleeves and gave back.
Sunny, pleasant weather on the Mall and many hands made short work of the service projects.
“It wasn’t as bad as I expected — we got it knocked out rather quickly,” said Martin McMillan, GCSAA Class A superintendent at Greensboro Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., and 14-year GCSAA member. This is McMillan’s first time attending National Golf Day. “I’d seen lots of articles about it, so I thought it’d be neat to come and witness,” he said.
Tyler Robb — assistant superintendent at The Grove XXIII in Hobe Sound, Fla., and 12-year GCSAA member — is at National Golf Day as part of the EXCEL Leadership Program. Having grown up in the D.C. area, he says helping beautify the grounds carries extra weight.
“I played sports on these fields,” he said. “It means a lot to me to be able to give back here.”
The work was carried out with the help of donated equipment from John Deere. Paul Schultheis, vice president of sales at Finch Turf in Eldersburg, Md., a Deere distributor, was on hand to help out. When asked to describe National Golf Day in one word, Schultheis said: “Proud.”
“It’s awesome that we can be on these hallowed grounds with our colleagues and friends,” said Schultheis.
Darren Davis, CGCS, superintendent at Olde Florida Golf Club in Naples, Fla., and GCSAA past president, seeds the turf at Old Soldiers Golf Club. Photo by Claudia Alterman
Across town, 50 National Golf Day volunteers helped with hefty work at Old Soldiers Golf Course on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Among the eight projects at the course were tree removal and trimming, mowing, aerating and overseeding. The course is managed by residents at the home, and the service project helped address a few needed improvements.
“Working with the veterans here has been rewarding. They’re super grateful, they’re really cool guys to hang out with,” said Jon Lobenstine, GCSAA Class A director of agronomy at Montgomery County Revenue Authority in Mount Airy, Md. and 27-year member and one of the project’s coordinators.
Mark Dupcak, a representative from Turf Equipment & Supply, an area Toro distributor, was part of the project and helped facilitate a donation of a rough mower, greens mower and utility cart to the facility.
“I’ve been with the company for 25 years, and for me to give back out here is very special,” said Dupcak. “To see colleagues from the industry from all over the country and be out here to beautify the landscape is really what it’s all about.”
Milton Stark, the 84-year-old course manager at Old Soldiers Golf Course and one of 200 residents at the Armed Forces Retirement Home, expressed his gratitude for the hard work and commitment from volunteers.
“None of us are professional golf course maintenance keepers. Things like this are just, it’s unbelievable how important something like this is for us,” Stark said.
Abby Olcese is GCM's online editor