Golf Course Superintendents (ESAGCS), an association of golf course management
professionals and industry representatives based here on Delmarva, is proud to
announce they have surpassed $125,000 in community based charitable giving over
the past five years. A recent audit of years 2009 thru 2013 revealed total
donations of $129,585 against revenues of $126,500. In 2013 the ESAGCS donated
$10,000 to the Believe in Tomorrow Children’s Foundation, $10,000 to the
University of Maryland Foundation, $5,000 to the Autism Society of America, $4,000
to the Wounded Warriors Project, and another $5,120 to diverse causes from
Berlin Little League to the Mid Atlantic Association of Golf Course
Superintendent’s Stewards of the Chesapeake tournament. “With
all that is happening in the world today, we are proud that our membership
recognizes the need to lend support to our local community and our industry”
states former ESAGCS President, Matt Fauerbach. “Golf Course Superintendents
are relatively anonymous in our business and we want to get the word out that
we care about our communities and our industry.”
The Board of Directors and the
membership of the ESAGCS are especially proud of its support of the Believe in
Tomorrow Children’s Foundation and their Children’s House by the Sea in Ocean
City, Maryland. The ESAGCS has donated in excess of $100,000 in cash and
services to the Believe in Tomorrow’s Children’s Foundation since 1998. The
Children’s Foundation supports kids and their families who face life
threatening health issues. 100% of the money raised will go directly to support
the Children’s House by the Sea on 66th Street in Ocean City. In
2012 the ESAGCS was recognized by the Children’s Foundation as one of their top
30 supporters over the past 30 years at a gala held in M&T Bank Stadium in
Baltimore, MD. “The dedication and support given by foundation staff and
volunteers to these children and their families during their most difficult
times is simply amazing and pulls at your heart” says Joe Perry CGCS and former
ESAGCS President. “We are pleased to be supporting their efforts.”
In addition to the Children’s
Foundation the ESAGCS is honored to partner with the Wounded Warrior Project.
The Board appreciates their efforts to support the men and women of the armed
forces who have defended our nation as they struggle to return to the
communities they served. The Board of the ESAGCS has also supported a number of
association members in need, from helping with medical expenses, assisting in
transportation for therapy, supporting neighboring superintendent’s
associations raising money for their charitable efforts and even Little League
teams. Most recently the ESAGCS has teamed up with the Wee One Foundation. A
foundation created to assist golf course management professionals (or their
dependents) who incur overwhelming expenses due to medical hardship without
comprehensive insurance or adequate financial resources. Check them out at http://weeone.org/
In 2013 the University of Maryland Turfgrass Pathology Research Fund was
established to help fund a replacement for retiring Professor and researcher, Dr. Peter Dernoeden PhD and to assure the
University continues his legacy of innovative turfgrass research. The
Board quickly and unanimously voted to support this effort by donating $10,000
at their 2013 Fall Turfgrass Conference. That money was added to the $50,000
the ESAGCS had previously donated to the Maryland Turfgrass Council (MTC) for a
total of $60,000. At the conference Dr. Dernoeden was also recognized with the
ESAGCS Distinguished Service Award for his 33 years of research and service to
our industry. Current ESAGCS President Mike Salvio CGCS is also very passionate
about charitable giving and says "The best thing about our Association is
the giving nature of all our members and vendor partners. It is a great feeling knowing all our
fundraising money helps local people/organizations."
The ESAGCS was founded in 1972 and serves Delaware, the
Eastern Shore of Maryland and the Mid Atlantic region. They are a fully
affiliated chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
(GCSAA). The mission of the ESAGCS is developing, supporting, and advancing the
professional careers of dedicated turf industry managers, and doing so in the
relaxed and friendly way that is indicative of life here on the Eastern Shore