LPGA legend to share thoughts about fitness and golf, present ‘Growing Girls through the Game Award’
(ORLANDO, FL) – Annika Sorenstam will address attendees at The First Tee’s 2013 Network Meeting, set for February 28 through March 2 at Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee and our own Kelli Corlett and Tom Morton from Haggin Oaks, Atlee Anders from Bing Maloney and Samantha Clawson from William Land Golf Course are all in attendance as well.
The World Golf Hall of Fame member and International Spokesperson for The First Tee Nine Healthy Habits will participate in sessions on Friday, March 1, including a discussion about childhood obesity and how golf can help, a youth summit identifying how leaders rally community support to solve complex problems and a workshop outlining the Nine Healthy Habits.
Annika will also present The First Tee’s first-ever “Growing Girls through the Game Award.” It recognizes a chapter from The First Tee that demonstrates excellence in and a strong commitment to increasing female participation and retention, offering all-girls’ opportunities and providing college scholarship support.
“I’m excited to attend the 2013 Network Meeting and mingle with The First Tee chapter leaders from around the country,” says Annika, a 10-time major champion and only female to shoot 59 in professional competition. “My ANNIKA Foundation enjoys a close relationship with both the home office and The First Tee of Central Florida, so I am a big believer in its mission to build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through golf.”
The First Tee of Central Florida was recently re-launched. Led by executive director Tom Lawrence, its host facility is Hunters Creek Golf Club in Kissimmee. The facility features a challenging 18-hole course with five sets of tees ranging from 5,265 to 7,268 yards and complete practice area.
The First Tee’s biennial Network Meeting provides chapters the opportunity to connect with peers and learn from experts within the organization and beyond. Educational topics primarily focus on enhancing chapter programs, operations and fundraising efforts to increase capacity and ability to impact young people in communities.
For more information: www.thefirsttee.org
About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is 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. With its home office at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., The First Tee reaches young people on golf courses, in elementary schools, at other youth-serving locations and on military installations.
Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 7.6 million young people in all 50 United States and four international locations. The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation and its Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Shell Oil Company is The First Tee’s Founding Corporate Partner and Johnson & Johnson is its Legacy Partner. Former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair.
About the ANNIKA Foundation
Annika created the ANNIKA Foundation (www.annikafoundation.org) as a way to teach children the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition, and offer aspiring junior golfers opportunities to pursue their dreams. The Foundation has partnered with key organizations to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children, including SPARK, Florida Hospital for Children in support of its Healthy 100 Kids initiative and The First Tee in development of the Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children.
It annually conducts four major golf events for aspiring junior girls, including an award-winning AJGA tournament, ANNIKA Invitational at Reunion Resort in Orlando, Fla.; the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, the first all-girls junior tournament in China; the ANNIKA Invitational in Europe; and the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for the top juniors in Sweden. The Foundation awards SPARK grants to schools, is a financial supporter of Healthy 100 Kids and has endowed an ACE scholarship with the AJGA. Other key initiatives include ANNIKA Junior Day, the ANNIKA Inspiration Award and scholarships for aspiring Swedish juniors.
