Junior golfers enjoy time on the links

Participants in the 2020 Presque Isle Elks Junior Golf League are, from left, front row, Davin Bua, Tucker Lamoreau, Riley Thomas, Bella Albert, Wilder Young, Kason Bua, Cody Baser, Collin Robertson, Ethan Collins and Cruze Casavant; second row: mentor Darren Donovan, Teddy Donovan, Tyler Dean, Evan McEachern, Silas Baser, Carter Vigue,  Nick Lavigne, Denver Miller, Charlie Peers, Brennan Bugbee, Patrick Collins, Meredith House, Isaac Manion, instructional assistant Libby Boone, Presque Isle Country Club Pro and Elks Junior Golf League Chairman Barry Madore;and third row,  Presque Isle Elks Board of Directors Chairman Moe Collins, sponsor Steve Hanning, Jack Lamoreau, and mentor/sponsor Michael Collins. Absent from the photo were Charlie Doyen, Duke Deschesne, Cameron Locke, mentor Sidney Smith, and mentor Brody Smith. (courtesy of Alan Harding)

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — On Sunday, Aug. 30, the Presque Isle Junior Golf League at the Presque Isle Country Club completed its sixth-consecutive successful season under the guidance and leadership of Barry Madore, a member of the Presque Isle Elks and the Presque Isle Country Club golf pro. 

This year, 26 area youth attended golf league sessions over the course of 11 weeks beginning June 7. Golf instruction was offered on Friday mornings with league play occurring Sunday evenings throughout the season.

In the course of the junior golf league program, golfers between the ages of 8-14 are introduced to the game of golf, an outdoor recreational activity, which the young people will be able to enjoy for the rest of their lives.

In addition to learning the fundamentals of golf, participants also learn useful fundamental values, especially respect, respect for other players, respect for the golf course property and respect for the rules of golf.

“The Elks Junior Golf Program, together with the Elks Junior Bowling program, may be the only drug awareness programs which the Presque Isle Elks are able to hold this year on account of the current COVID-19 restrictions,” stated Alan Harding, past exalted ruler of the Presque Isle Elks and current chairman of the Presque Isle Elks Drug Awareness Program. “Each of these programs are important to youth drug abuse prevention because of the positive impacts they have upon the healthy development of a young person. 

“Through participation in these recreational activities, young people build better socialization and communications skills, improve their self-esteem and learn the importance of following established rules,” he added. “All of these skills have been demonstrated to significantly reduce the likelihood of inappropriate or unlawful drug and alcohol use by young people.”

Popular drug awareness programs, which the Presque Isle Elks, Lodge No. 1954, have been unable to hold to date because of COVID-19 restrictions, have been the “Hooked on Fishing, not Drugs” Youth Fishing Derby and the Soccer Shoot. Whether the Presque Isle Elks will be able to hold its annual Hoop Shoot program will be determined in the next few weeks.

“The Presque Elks are committed to implementing as many Drug Awareness Programs as the existing circumstances will allow,” said Reuben Caron, exalted ruler of the Presque Isle Elks, Lodge No. 1954. “The Elks appreciate the importance of all programs designed to prevent drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. They will offer as many programs to this community as possible in the future.”