ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 21, 2009) — Ryan Porter, who is involved with The First Tee of Nassau County at Eisenhower Park and is a four-year GOLFWORKS intern, helped deliver more than 400 golf clubs and 1,000 golf balls to the U.S. Army base at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The golf equipment will be deployed to U.S. troops in the 82nd Airborne Division serving overseas.

This donation was initiated by Porter, 18 and a graduate of South Side High School, last summer. Flyers were sent out requesting donations of used equipment from Met Area golf courses and also from the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), with the aid of AJGA’s Jeanne Edwards.

“Collecting the equipment was the easy part,” according to Porter. “It then took several months of phone calls and e-mails to get the donation to the troops. Last year I played in the Golf Channel Invitational for The First Tee and was paired with Robert Stennett, Executive Director of the Ben Hogan Foundation. I told him about my project and he put me in touch with Shari Alvarez of Lockheed Martin, who suggested I contact Marian Spencer of BAE Systems. Ms. Spencer then helped me contact Emmett Burke, also of BAE, to arrange the drop off. I couldn’t have completed this project without their help.”

After getting assistance from the participants in The First Tee of Nassau County to load Director Mike Wade’s truck, Wade and Porter drove the 600 miles to Fort Bragg and delivered the equipment. After members of the 82nd Airborne helped them unload the truck, Wade and Porter were presented with All-American Airborne caps and golf towels. They were given a tour of the massive fort, visiting the 82nd Airborne Division and Airborne & Special Operations Museums.

“The whole project was a great experience,” concluded Porter. “I wanted the troops to know that we appreciate what they are doing for us, and this gift was a way of thanking them.”

For more information on Ryan Porter’s golf equipment donation project and other intiatives of the MGA Foundation, contact Jeanne McCooey (jmccooey@mgagolf.org) or Barry McLaughlin (bmclaughlin@thefirstteemetny.org).