NAPLES, Fla. — Everyone deserves to experience the joys of golf, but today a special partnership is bringing that joy to a group of adults with disabilities.
Participants in the Pathways to Opportunity program showed off their prowess on the greens at the Golf Skills Showcase hosted by the I GOT THIS Foundation at Tiburon Golf Club in Naples on Friday.
Organizers say the event is an opportunity to help build confidence and community.
“It’s wonderful that they have the same opportunities as everyone else and I can’t express to you how much this means to us,” said Jessica Tarsi, director of disability services for Goodwill SWFL.
All the adults had just completed a five-day golf camp where they learned how to play the game and came together to show off their skills.
“Oh my goodness, they’re so happy. Happy to be here, happy to learn, and so excited to be able to engage with the community in a way that they probably never thought possible before,” said Ashley Price, development director for Goodwill Southwest Florida.
Price explained that the space was created to allow adults with disabilities to thrive and learn skills that will be useful in real life.
“Pathways to Opportunity was created because there is a gap in skills training and opportunity expansion for adults with disabilities who are aging out of the school system and lacking resources,” Price said. “We’re here to support them, help them gain life skills and get them out into the community so they can thrive,” she added.
The event, a collaborative effort with I GOT THIS Foundation, has brought the group together and built their self-confidence and love for the sport, two skills that Tulsi says will help them progress further.
“So they come to our program and learn life skills and then apply them in the real world. It’s fun and exciting, but they also put into practice everything that we’ve learned in-house,” Tursi added.
The Golf Skills Showcase is the highlight of the five-day I GOT THIS Golf Camp, taking place June 24-28. The camp is the foundation’s flagship golf instruction program and provides athletes ages 13 and older with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to learn fun and useful golf skills under the guidance of professional golf instructors.
To learn more about how Goodwill SWFL is positively impacting the community, visit www.goodwillswfl.org