A full field of 24 teams of four played in the 2010 Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County Golf Tournament, sponsored by The Clement Companies.  The golfers enjoyed a sunny, albeit humid afternoon at Ironwood Country Club in Greenville. 

The Clement Companies generously sponsored the tournament for the second year in a row, citing their committment to supporting the financial needs of the children the Clubs serve. 

Brown & Wood sponsored a Hole in One Contest on Hole #3, offering a 2011 Buick Regal to any golfer who could sink the hole in one shot.  The Hammock Source sponsored a Closest to the Hole Prize on Hole #17 with the prize of a hammock.  Coffman's sponsored a putting contest with the prize of $250 gift certificates to Coffman's.

To see the slideshow from the Daily Reflector, click here.

To see more photos, go the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County page on Facebook.

Jim Casey, President of the Corporate Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County, poses with Rob Burleson, JW Blair, and Paul Anderson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County Corporate Board Treasurer, at the tee box on Hole #9.

Several local companies showed their support by becoming hole sponsors, including:

Accident Fund

Advisors Financial Group

Blue Cross & Blue Shield of NC

Brown & Wood

Chick-Fil-A

Cintas

Coffmans

Copy Pro

Jo Anne COrey

Dr. Ned Craft

Employers Insurance

First Citizens Bank

Dr. Randy Fussell

Hartford Insurance

Innovative Employee Benefits

Key Risk Insurance

Kuhn Construction

Med Cost Benefit Services

Michels & Gauquie

Minges Bottling Group

Nationwide -- Stephen West Agency

One Source Communications

Herb & Martha-Duke Ormond

Penn National Insurance

Philadelphia National Insurance

Potash Corp.

Pro Golf Discount

RBC Bank

Selective Insurance

Southern Bank

Stonewood Insurance

Suddenlink Communication

Sun Life

Synergy Insurance

Tesi Staffing

TrustAtlantic Bank

Unum

Ward & Smith, PA

Waste Industries

Wells Fargo Advisors (Mike Rowe & Yates Spruill)

Wells Fargo Advisors (Russell Eaves)

A special thanks to Pitt County Dentists for their continued support.

Four children from the Jack Minges Unit recently traveled to Orlando, Fla. for the 11th Annual Biannual World Tang Soo Do Championship. The event in early August was hosted by the Moo Duk Kwan Association of Korea. Approximately 2,500 competitors were at the competition.

Four children who have been learning Tang Soo Do at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County received medals for their performance at the championship. Anthony Reeves, Tiara Reeves, Khalil Moore and Demarcus Dixon participated in hyung (choreographed fighting against imaginary opponents) and sparring.

Tang Soo Do is a Korean form of martial arts. The students have been practicing under the teaching of Ed Shakoske.

"The kids get great self-esteem and confidence from this program," said Patrick Shirley, Director of Operations for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County.  "Through Ed's leadership, the kids really respond to a totally new experience that builds them up in many ways."

Anthony, Tiara and Khalil appeared on WITN News at Sunrise on August 20 to show off their martial arts skills.  You can watch the video by clicking here.

Ed Shakoske's committment to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County does not stop with martial arts.  He and his wife recently donated $1,000 for school supplies that Club members will use when they work on their homework each day at the Clubs.  Each unit is receiving $200.  The Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County thanks the Shakoske's for their committment not just to the members who study Tang Soo Do, but to the hundreds of lives they influence in a positive way at The Postive Place for Kids. 
 

From left to right, Khalil Moore, Tiara Reeves, Ed Shakoske, Anthony Reeves and Demarcus Dixon

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County wishes to extend its heartfelt gratitude to three area businesses who are helping our Clubs help our kids.  Ward and Smith attorneys, First Citizens Bank and Minges Bottling Group recently donated $5,000 apiece to the Boys & Girls of Pitt County. The donations help offset reductions in state funding and United Way allocations which have contributed to an expected operating shortfall $126,000 for 2010.

Pictured with some of the children are back row from left:  Thomas Stroud of Ward and Smith; Jay Faron, executive director Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County; Gordon Jethro of First Citizens Bank; and Tom Minges and Jeff Minges of Minges Bottling Group.

The Pitt County Bail Bondsman Agency is helping members of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County start the new school year with backpacks full of supplies they will use to succeed at school.  The group donated 50 backpacks on August 16 at the Jack Minges Unit.

"We are grateful for the support of local businesses such as the Bail Bondsman Agency, as we strive to help our members succeed in school and prepare for productive futures,” said Jay Faron, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County.

One of the members of the Pitt County Bail Bondsman Agency making the donation was Frankie Atkinson (see picture below).  Atkinson was a member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County when he was growing up in Greenville.  Atkinson has said he doesn't know where his life would be today if it were not for the Club to help put his life on the right track.  Atkinson, a current member of the Corporate Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Pitt County, talks specifically about the help with homework he received at the Club. “When I came to the Boys & Girls Club, I knew when I left, my homework was going to be done, and it was going to be done right.  And it was going to be done by me,” Atkinson said.  The Boys & Girls Club program called “Power Hour” is designed to help students raise their academic proficiency.

Pictured left to right are Darryl Daniels, Jay Faron, Frankie Atkinson and Juanita Woolard.