More Than Golf: Moore-Myers Children’s Fund Celebrates 10 Years of Youth Development

With about 125 participants, who had a great day on a beautiful course in Jacksonville, the golf event was so much more than a fundraising  tournament that directly supports the educational and developmental goals of underrepresented youth in our community.

One by one, speakers including students, shared how it’s a celebration of values that the Moore-Myers Children’s Fund stands for: opportunity, mentorship, and empowerment through the game of golf.

Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, donors, and volunteers, the tournament was a huge success.

At MMCF, we refer to our student participants as “Eagles,” a reflection of their high aspirations and great potential power to soar. The program takes on students as young as eight years old, who are led by PGA- certified professionals, coaches and mentors. Our ultimate goal is to help Eagles earn college scholarships and reach their full potential, both as athletes and individuals.

Right after the tournament, we pulled aside a few of our student-athletes in middle school, high school, and college. Surprisingly, as much as they enjoy the game of golf, they all talked more about the importance of personal development that they get from various MMCF opportunities. Here’s a glimpse at what they had to say:

Kierra Dimes

Kierra Dimes, who will be a senior at FAMU in the fall, said she was comfortable grabbing the microphone and greeting participants after everyone got in their  carts to head off to their first hole. The psychology major said it was no big deal because she spent four years in the MMCF program in high school.

“They hone in on public speaking, starting with the “Circle of Confidence,” a weekly activity that took place first thing in the morning, along with hitting balls and listening to announcements. It went along with talks about the monthly character trait. “Every week each of us started the day by introducing ourselves and sharing something positive that we did that week.”

“Moore Myers has offered a chance to create new memories and experiences,” she said. “They hone in on life skills like college readiness workshops, financial literacy and etiquette workshops.”

Dimes, who was the valedictorian at William Raines High School, said she started a mentorship program when she was in high school, and used a lot of what she learned from the MMCF program to pass on to others, such as time management and study skills. Since then, whenever she’s come home for the summer, no matter what Dr. J asks her to do, whether it’s helping at a tournament, coming out to play with students or helping to wash golf carts at the home court, her response is always the same. “I just say, yes ma’am.”

Coleman Spencer

Coleman Spencer, was only seven-years-old when he joined MMCF. He was among the first participants. Now at 18, he’s a senior at The Bolles School, who is headed to FAMU in the fall majoring in biology. His dream job is to eventually become a team doctor in the NFL. This student-athlete is also a swimmer and plays on his high school football team.

“I’ve always taken the (MMCF) program seriously. No matter what I do in life, golf is always going to be important to me. They taught me that golf is a sport that you can play all of your life,” he said.

“One thing that makes this program special is that Dr. J and Mr. Rick, go out of their way to have a relationship with each child and their families,” he said. “They’re my godparents, but they care so much about every participant. And they really care about personal development outside of golf.”

“I’ve met all sorts of people through golf. Golf will always play some role in my life,  whether I’m golfing with friends or making a business deal in the future, golf will always stick with me.”

“I’m a Christian, and from a biblical perspective, golf reminds me of some things I’ve read in the Bible, like be slow to anger and persevere and enjoy the settings,” he said. “I’ve been blessed to go to some great golf courses because of this program, and I’m grateful.”

Leela Clark

Leela Clark, 13, who will be attending Stanton College Preparatory School in the fall, has been in the MMCF program for the last four years. As of now, she said she would be thrilled to have a career in the golf industry. Her 12-year-old brother Krishna. Is also in the program. She said she was initially involved in another golf program, but switched over to MMCF. Her mother Lakshmi enjoys participating in MMCF’s “Ladies on the Links” program.

“They’re very welcoming and kind at Moore-Myers,” she said. “My dad is an American white dude and my mom’s parents are from India… so I come from different cultures. Golf is like a white dominated sport, so it’s nice to be part of a diverse group.”

“I like the diversity in this organization and the opportunities. They offer so many opportunities. We play at a lot of different courses and tournaments, so that means I get to meet a lot of people.”

“This organization takes it to the next level. We learn a lot about character building skills and how to be a better person in general. I love the game of golf and I want to be part of the industry when I’m an adult. But this organization offers much more than golf. For instance, I’ve participated in workshops about mental health and dinner etiquette, not just golf etiquette.”

“Other golf programs just focus on golf, but Moore-Myers is all about being the best person that you can be,” she said.

“I really would like to go into the golf industry when I grow up, and I’m optimistic that I’ll get a golf scholarship.”