Detroit, Michigan (PRWEB) June 03, 2015

The Greater Detroit Chapter of The First Tee, a non-profit youth development organization, is returning to Palmer Park in June after a five-year hiatus, thanks to support from the local business and foundation community. The organization, which has more than 175 chapters nationwide, uses the game of golf to teach young people positive core values and life skills.

The First Tee’s reintroduction to the city is an example of Detroit’s economic progress. The original Detroit chapter was one of four announcement cities when the program was established in 1997, but fell victim to the recession in 2011. Local business leaders and corporate citizens, including the DTE Energy Foundation, Huntington Bank, PwC, Quicken Loans, Penske Foundation, Carl’s Golfland, The Skillman Foundation, MAC Valves, Inductoheat, Brown & Brown of Detroit, have raised over $ 250,000 to bring the organization back to Detroit.

This year, the chapter will be partnering with over 20 Detroit Public Schools and several charter schools, to bring the program to hundreds of children between ages 5-12. Participants in The First Tee’s curriculum consistently show positive results in all aspects of their lives, from confidence in academics and sports to healthy choices and community involvement.

“Detroit Public Schools is thankful for the partnership with The First Tee of Greater Detroit. The First Tee has helped to re-introduce golf into our physical education classes with their new cutting edge curriculum. We look forward to our students participating in the golf programs this summer,” said Ed Tomlin, Director of Elementary/Middle School Athletics for Detroit Public Schools.

The CEO of The First Tee is Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., son of Detroit boxing legend Joe Louis. Along with his famous career in the ring, he also was the first African American to play in a PGA Tour event in 1952 at the San Diego Open.

“I am pleased to see a chapter re-emerge in Detroit, an important American city and one that is closely associated with my father,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of The First Tee. He continued, “We trust The First Tee of Detroit will be an important part of the rebirth happening in Detroit and will have a positive impact on young people in the city for many years to come.”

Roger Penske, Chairman and CEO of Bloomfield Hills-based Penske Corporation, is also a National Trustee of The First Tee.

For more information, please visit our website at http://www.thefirstteegreaterdetroit.org , our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thefirstteegreaterdetroit or for press inquiries contact:

Executive Director, Jody Dungey – jody(at)thefirstteegreaterdetroit(dot)org

Chairman, Niall Hay – nhay(at)thefirstteegreaterdetroit(dot)org

Vice Chairman, LeRoy Richie – roy(at)thefirstteegreaterdetroit(dot)org

Chairman – Marketing Committee, Michael Follis – mike(at)thefirstteegreaterdetroit(dot)org






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