Driving fore success: Local businesses build course structures for Habitat's 'Holes to Homes' event
It was over a month ago when Habitat for Humanity Owensboro-Daviess County announced the date and details for its newest fundraising initiative 'Holes to Homes' — a two-day event that will include an 18-hole putt course — on Jan. 3-4 at the Jack T. Wells Activity Center at Kentucky Wesleyan College.
The event, which includes Toyotetsu Mid America, LLC (TTMA) as the presenting sponsor, will consist of both a traditional scramble tournament and open play for all ages, along with additional activities, prizes and more.
However, the physical infrastructure that participants will be playing on is currently being built by both Habitat and local businesses sponsoring a hole on the course.
And with the event coming up in a matter of weeks, organizations like the Green River Building Industry Association have been hard at work building and constructing different designs before all of the course pieces are loaded in for the first day of activities.
For Jeremy Stephens, Habitat's executive director, he finds the physical labor from the respective sponsors goes hand in hand with his organization's credo.
'I'd say it's kind of Habitat's philosophy … all the way around — we come together as volunteers every single day to build houses for people,' he said. '... When we dreamed up this idea — our fundraising committee, myself and anyone else that showed up that day — we had a couple goals: let's make something new, let's make it for all ages no matter what and let's get the people who normally just write the checks to support the nonprofits in our community (and) get them involved.
'From the very beginning to the very end till we load it out of the door (the night before the event) is that everyone that is involved is actually physically involved,' Stephens said.
Stephens said Habitat claimed the 18th hole for the course, which the organization began work on in August. Since finishing it, Stephens said Habitat has been showcasing the design 'at various places' to promote the event.
Most of the hole sponsors started working on respective structures about 30 days ago, Stephens said, with construction taking place in both Habitat's workshop and off-site. Habitat has also been supplying materials.
'The general idea was from the beginning that whoever was building the hole that it kind of identifies with them,' Stephens said in regards to the designs.
For example, Atmos Energy utilized a gas meter while Valor Christian Academy has implemented its school colors.
'The airport is building one with a landing strip,' Stephens said. 'It's a fun way to contribute, but also kind of tell the community who shows up and plays over those two days, 'This is who we are and this is what we look like.' '
Adam Hicks, GRBIA's executive officer, was on-site at Habitat along with other colleagues on Tuesday to begin the construction process.
'When I got here, Jeremy said a lot of the holes are kind of straight shots and he wanted us to do (something) at like a 90 degree angle aspect to it,' Hicks said of the forthcoming design. '... It's a little bigger than most of the holes; it's about double the size of a lot of them.
'I think it'll be fun.'
Upon hearing the details of 'Holes to Homes,' Hicks thought it was a 'great idea' to implement in a common fundraising event.
'... It's something different,' he said. 'It can get the kids involved, and adults are going to have fun with it too.'
As of Tuesday morning, Stephens said 15 teams were signed up to participate, with hopes the number will increase between 30 to 50 before the event.
Stephens said while there's no numerical goal regarding funds to be raised, $50,000 would be beneficial when it comes to 'starter funds' for a build.
'That's the equivalent to just a monster sponsorship on one of our homes,' he said.
Ten Habitat homes are currently under construction, Stephens said, which is 'about a third of the total applicants that we have in the pool.'
'... We've got easily another 17 to 20 applicants … that are still working their way through the program that have yet to be assigned to properties,' Stephens said. '... It never ends. We're always in search of more property and a way to increase how many units we can build in a year.'
For the full schedule of events for 'Holes to Homes' and to purchase tickets, visit habitatowensboro.org/holestohomes.
For more information or questions, call 270-926-6110 or email hfhodv@gmail.com.
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