The First Tee Philly Offers Unique Experience at Celebrity Invitational

  The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia will be hosting the 2017 Celebrity Invitational Presented by Accenture at Huntington Valley Country Club on July 17th, 2017.  “Accenture has been a longtime supporter of The First Tee and we would not be where we are today without their support” says Bill Hyndman, Executive Director of The First Tee Of Greater Philadelphia. “Our kids appreciate Accenture’s leadership in being our Title Sponsor for the Celebrity Invitational.  Their support makes all that we do possible.” This event is unique because it will allow the kids of The First Tee to caddy for the celebrities and get to know each of them. This is a great experience that will last a lifetime and it is just one of many benefits of being involved with The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia. The goal of the Celebrity Invitational Golf Tournament is to raise funds to continue to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. Dinner tickets are still available and can be purchased at www.firstteephiladelphia.org.   Huntingdon Valley Country Club is a premier golf course that is consistently rated on Golf Week’s Top 100 Classic Courses and currently hold the 78th position. The club is also ranked by Golf Digest as the 9th best course in Pennsylvania. The outing will include numerous Philadelphia area celebrities such as Dr. J, Mike Quick, Gary Dornhoffer, Ron Jaworski, Merrill Reese and many others. The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia has experienced tremendous growth over the last few years. The number of female program participants has increased from 41% to 48% which is one of the highest female participation rates of the 155 First Tee chapters in the United States. The number of female coaches has also grown to 30% which include some alumni. On the program side, they have significantly increased their certification program offerings from two days weekly to six days weekly at their two existing Philadelphia facilities (Walnut Lane Golf Club and The Jay Sigel Learning Center).  The Chapter now offers 1,500 students, 18 weekly classes, up from a total of five classes during the two-day weekly sessions.  The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia is in the preliminary stage of introducing certification programs at three new locations. Inside their National Schools Program and DRIVE curriculum, The First Tee is currently in 35 Philadelphia schools, reaching 15,000 students. Currently, 15% of The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia student population is special needs youth.  Within the last year, The First Tee has partnered with ELS for Autism, The Overbrook School for the Blind and the Widener Memorial School.  The First Tee has established an initiative to refine and develop programs for special needs children. As of 2017, Kids on the Hill, a Philadelphia Police Athletic League (PAL) youth golf organization, joined The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia. This summer, an additional 80 young golfers from five PAL centers, are learning The First Tee’s philosophy of golf being more than a game.  They are being introduced to The First Tee Nine Core Values and Nine Healthy Habits while learning how to play golf. First Tee coach and former Kids on the Hill alum, Vinny De Torro,  speaks highly of his time with Kids on the Hill and now with The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia. “I was very fortunate to be involved the program when I was younger because it allowed me to fall in love with the game of golf.  I will always appreciate the opportunities I was given through the Kids on the Hill program and the impact it has had on my life. This is why I have decided to give back to The First Tee and help coach these wonderful kids.” The Celebrity Invitational is one of many vital events in helping support The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia and all of their great programming. You can find out more about the celebrity invitational and The First Tee at www.firstteephiladelphia.org. The First Tee of Greater Philadelphia is an international youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to young people. Through after school and in school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf. And it’s making a difference.Good Golfers. Better People. Find out more at www.firstteephiladelphia.org