Disc Golf Club presents to Boys & Girls Club of Owego

The Greater Binghamton Disc Golf Club presented a check for over $2,000 to the Tioga County Boys & Girls Club on Thursday, April 8, that club officials say is critical in helping keep the doors open. With COVID-19 having such a wide impact, the local Boys and Girls is struggling to stay open. 

“This is huge, COVID has impacted everyone and we have struggled to keep our door’s open,” said Boys and Girls Club Director of Operations, Ken Henson.

Instead of specifically being earmarked for a particular usage, the $2,235 will be used for costs associated with general usage.

“Our biggest issue right now is (funding) general operations. There are grants out there, but so many are earmarked specifically for capital improvement projects and cannot be used for general operations, so this is huge,” Henson added. 

Rick Powell, vice-president for the Greater Binghamton Disc Golf Club, said that about 41 players came together to play a disc golf tournament to raise the money. 

“We are a non-profit, and I talked to the national association and got permission to run a tournament for the local Boys and Girls Club,” Powell said. 

The idea of the tournament came about during a conversation with Ken during which he detailed the issues the Boys and Girls Club is facing as it tries to keep its doors open. 

“The Boys and Girls Club is hurting, and it is important to support your local community and this is a big part of our local community,” Powell said. 

Along with Powell, Cheryl May herself, a Boys and Girls Club volunteer, helped put the ice bowl tournament together by donating prizes and money. 

“She helped make it a successful event,” Powell said of May. 

Disc golf is a Frisbee based sport where, much like traditional golf, participants aim to get a Frisbee as close as possible to a target until they reach it. The player with the lowest number of attempts receives the best score.

You can learn more about The Greater Binghamton Disc Golf Club online at http://greaterbinghamtondiscgolf.com; you can learn more about The Boys & Girls Club of Owego by visiting www.tiogabgca.org.