Golfers clothe kids at 4th annual J. Ranck Electric charity outing
Tees, golf balls, and sunscreen? ✔️✔️✔️
Clubs? ✔️
Diapers…? Check!✔️
Fore the Kids 2016 was more than just 18 holes.
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The morning dew clung to the grass as golfers arrived, many carrying a package of diapers in addition to the bag of clubs slung over their shoulder. Any other day at Apple Mountain in Freeland, the sight would seem odd, but on Friday, August 19th, golfers were encouraged to bring diapers along.
The diapers were gifts for the Foster Closet of Michigan, the charitable organization that gives the Fore the Kids 2016 outing its purpose. The Closet, a statewide network of volunteers and branch locations, provides clothing and personal items to abused and neglected children. Their mission is to help kids rebuild self-esteem and have a smooth transition into a new home by providing belongings a child can call their own, especially in a time when so much else is changing in their young lives.
After a beautiful day on the green the golfers met Danielle Dickson, founder of the Foster Closet and Genesee County branch manager, who shared why they do what they do.
“Foster parents are given about $0.75 an hour to take care of children… and they’re given $105 every six months for clothing, so by the time you buy a winter coat and snow pants that money is all gone,” Dickson explained. “Our goal is to help fulfill that need [for clothing] so that foster parents are able to put the children in sports or clubs, or take them on vacation, or give them a holiday that they’ve never had.”
The Closet doesn’t just give away clothes, they give kids new opportunities, and J. Ranck Electric thanks everyone who got involved with Fore the Kids 2016. Together, we raised just over $18,500.00 to help the Foster Closet do just that, give kids opportunity.