Jim Foster of Buchanan learned that from his son, Jonathan, a few weeks ago.
“He texted me and said … ‘It'd be fun to have something to do here. Send me a pitching wedge and a couple of balls,’” recalled Foster, who's stationed in Afghanistan.
And that's what sparked a community’s mission to support the troops in a new and different way.
“Before I knew it we had hundreds of golf clubs,” said Foster.
Foster’s wife had posted something about her son’s comment on Facebook. Eventually, the Fosters contacted Orchard Hills Country Club.
“We started sending out some emails here at the club and were just overwhelmed,” said Chuck Pullen, the golf pro.
Friday morning, Pullen, Foster, and a group of others gathered to package up more than 300 golf clubs along with more than 600 balls that had been donated.
They’ll soon be sending them from the lush greens of Orchard Hills to the dry desert of Afghanistan. The country club donated two sets of cups, pins, and flags, too.
“It’s important,” said Foster. “Everyday they’re (troops) are doing their job and they need some stuff to get their mind away for a bit, you know?”
“Something like this will take the anxiety away,” said Bob Hutchison, a veteran who served during the Korean War. “Anything to take the stress off being over there. The average American citizen does not know what it is to be in a war zone.”
Foster's employer, U.S. Business Systems, is paying for the shipping and handling.
“It's a great thing and we were more than happy to get behind it,” said Tim Hulett, the company’s vice president.
