With a focus on their goals program for children with special needs, Little Linksters™ starts expansion into Latin America
Deltona, FL (November 7, 2015) In January 2016, Little Linksters™ will be expanding into Latin America as the Florida based nonprofit will be taking part on a Project in Colombia called “Golfistas Especiales” (Special Golfers). The Project will take place initially in Bogotá-Colombia with a partnership with the Colombian Golf Federation and the sponsorship of major companies in the country. The main idea of the Project is to teach golf to people 3 years and up with special needs (cognitive and physical) and one of the main objectives is to build a team for the Special Olympics World Games in 2019.
The Project will start in Bogota, which currently is the only city in Colombia with public and semiprivate golf courses and driving ranges. In the near future, a year or so, the project will expand to other cities, with the partnership of the private country clubs in the country. Once it has settled and the project is running, it will expand to other countries in Latin America.
“We are thrilled to take part in a project like this in Colombia, and we are sure of the success it will have among the people with special needs. It is a great opportunity to take the game to a wide variety of people in the country and in Latin America” says Juan Raigoza, Director of Little Linksters™ Latin America
Golf in Latin America, even though seen as an elite game, is growing thanks to the Professional golfers taking part on the PGA Tour, European Tour, and Web.com Tour and with the inclusion of Golf as an Olympic Game; it gives the sport more exposure within Latin America.
The broad benefits that the game of golf can provide to people with special needs gives this project the leverage to become a very successful endeavor going forward. Golf as a therapy and as a way to enhance the life skills of athletes of all ages takes the sport to another level, from the competitive, and recreational, to the therapeutic side of it.
The program will be ran by Mr. Juan Raigoza who was the 2015 Summer Semester Valedictorian of the Golf Academy of America Orlando. Raigoza trained under PGA Professional and Little Linksters™ founder, Brendon Elliott during his time at the Golf Academy of Orlando.
“Juan was both a student of mine for three semesters at the Golf Academy of America as well as an integral part of our Little Linksters™ nonprofit organization as an instructor and administrator. Juan distinguished himself with his natural curiosity, attention to detail and near-encyclopedic knowledge of this field of study while at the GAA and in his work with Little Linksters™ and our various programs” explains Elliott. “I consider myself very fortunate to have had the pleasure of getting to know Juan during his time at the GAA and I’m excited to be able to continue to work remotely with such a remarkable individual as he begins an extension of our Little Linksters™ programming in Latin America” added Elliott.
The Little Linksters™ golf program based in Central Florida is designed specifically for children ages 3 to 8 years old. The program is taught in a fun and interactive way, using both traditional and non-traditional instructional methods to ensure children’s first introduction to golf is FUN! The Little Linksters™ mascots Floppy, Birdie & Bogey are featured in the programs instructional coloring book and training aids.
The Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development, a 501c3 nonprofit in conjunction with AAU, is continuing to develop a national program that will enable teaching professionals from across the country to grow their business and the game of golf with a proven program that combines a child-friendly approach, a complete program curriculum, and uses items from some of the industry’s best training aid and junior golf equipment companies.
One of the Association’s newest projects, called G.O.A.L.S. (Golf Outreach Advances Life Skills) is specifically aimed at introducing children ages 3-12+ with special needs to the game of golf. In doing so, children will learn valuable life skills that will help them throughout their life. The Special Olympics of Central Florida is a proud partner of Little Linksters™ efforts with this program. Support of the G.O.A.L.S. program has also come from the Alliance for Accessible Golf as well as Jordan Spieth and the Jordan Spieth Family Foundation.
Other programming is in development through Little Linksters™ including a future partnership with the Girl Scouts of Citrus Council which serves some 15,000 girls throughout Central Florida. Little Linksters™ hopes to add additional programming in 2016 that will touch children ages 3-8 that are in economically challenged situations, enduring lengthy hospital stays due to chronic illnesses and other youngsters that may have never had an opportunity such as those that Little Linksters™ offers. “Golf is more than a game; it is a tool to teach young children so much more and we hope to use this tool to enhance the lives of as many children as possible explains Elliott, Little Linksters™ founder and Executive Director.
To help the nonprofit, Little Linksters™ Association for Junior Golf Development contact them at nonprofit@littlelinksters.com
To donate go to Little Linksters™ Year End DRIVE campaign go to: https://www.gofundme.com/LinkstersDRIVE
To become a corporate sponsor, contact Executive Director Brendon R. Elliott, PGA at brendonelliott@pga.com
For more information on Little Linksters™ Latin America, contact program Director Juan Raigoza at Juan@LittleLinksters.com
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