Volunteers Unite: How One Disc Golf Club Transformed a Community

In a remarkable display of community spirit, members of the Charlotte Disc Golf Club are leaving an indelible mark on their county. Under the guidance of Chris Hunter, Superintendent of Park Operations for Mecklenburg County, this dedicated group has not only built and maintained several disc golf courses but also organizes events on a voluntary basis.

The club's impressive volunteer efforts were recently showcased at the Disc Golf Pro Tour Championship, which drew an estimated 1,200 spectators to the renowned Hornet's Nest Disc Golf Course. An astonishing 45 volunteers donated over 400 hours of their time to this event alone. Their contributions ranged from setting up the course and announcing cards to serving as parking attendants, handling live scoring, crowd control, marshaling, and breaking down the course.

But that's not all - club members also dedicated an additional 175 hours to preparing the courses for the tournament, allowing the Mecklenburg Parks & Recreation Department and event organizers to focus on larger projects. This selfless dedication has been a game-changer for the community, demonstrating the power of collaborative effort.

To manage their volunteer program, the club uses Trello, a free project management tool. Members can sign up online, choosing specific courses and tasks they'd like to tackle. After completing the work, they simply check it off on the list, allowing George to track and report their hours to the Parks & Recreation Department. This not only highlights the value of the club's contributions but also fosters a strong partnership with local authorities.

The club's volunteer coordinator, Dave George, attributes their success to a systematic approach to volunteering. "Each course has a designated director who keeps an eye on maintenance needs," he explains. For smaller tasks, such as cleaning up or removing debris, the club springs into action. Larger projects, like tree removal, are handled by Mark Huether, the club's director of operations, who works closely with parks and recreation staff to ensure everything runs smoothly.

To further encourage camaraderie among members, George is planning focused group workdays at the Hornet's Nest and other courses in the area. These events will not only bring people together but also provide an opportunity for members to bond over their shared passion for disc golf.

As Chris Hunter aptly puts it, "The club has brought disc golf to our county, and they're doing an excellent job maintaining the courses, staffing events, and working with us on a volunteer basis." The Charlotte Disc Golf Club is indeed an exemplary model of community engagement, demonstrating that when like-minded individuals come together with a shared vision, remarkable things can happen.

Learn more about the Charlotte Disc Golf Club at charlottedgc.com.

This article was compiled from disc golf coverage with AI assistance. Source: pdga.com — https://www.pdga.com/news/putting-disc-golf-spirit-action