4 T H E F L O R I D A G R E E N

Distinguished Service

Joel Jackson, CGCS wasin a bind. Actually it was a triple bind.

He had just learned of hisselection for a 2003 GCSAADistinguished Service Award, but aftera few moments of basking in the glowof the highest award his professioncan bestow, the pit of his stomachbegan to get heavy.

The weight hung thereand the award was presented Feb.12 at the opening session of theInternational Golf CourseConference and Show in Atlanta.The DSA presentation followed the2002 Wreath of Grass Award fromthe Florida Turfgrass Association bya few months.

“While I treasure therecent awards I have been given,” saidthe FGCSA’s director of communica-tion of his season of heavy iron, “thebiggest accomplishment or reward hasto be perfect strangers coming up tome at meetings and conferences andtelling me that they enjoy my columnsand articles or that those writingshelped them personally with a prob-

lem at work.”And then the pit of his

stomach began to feel heavy again.His skin glistened like a New Englandpond in January and his heart, whichhas seen more bypasses than the cityLos Angeles, began to pound.

Those who know him wellcan recognize his angst; they canprobably visualize the gravity of hissituation settling in: Joel Jackson isthe editor of the Florida Green - thepublication that should give the largestcoverage to his accomplishment. - andtherefore Joel Jackson was going tohave to write something good abouthimself. Or, worse, he would have toask somebody else to write somethinggood about himself. Or even worse,he would have to abandon the journal-istic principles he had absorbed in thepast decade and ignore a very impor-tant news story.

Jackson, the consummateprofessional, trudged his way throughweekly rounds of meetings, interviews,telephone calls, and deadlines in thecourse of his job, but the three-headed

was to be the best superintendent Icould be,” he said.

The same could be saidabout any task he has undertaken.Whether it’s as a golf course superin-tendent, a teacher, a director of commu-nication, a reporter, a naval officer or aday laborer - and Joel Jackson has beenall of the above - he would strive to bethe best he could be - the consummateprofessional.

I first met Joel in the fall of1988 when part-time Golfweek colum-nist Mark Jarrell persuaded me to cometalk to the FGCSA board about leavingmy job as executive editor of Golfweekto become publisher of the FloridaGreen.

Jackson was vice presidentat the time, publications chairman andthe object of Dan Jones’s affection to beeditor-in-waiting while Dan and hiswife, Irene, wound down to retirement.But I don’t remember Joel in those firstmeetings. He did nothing to call atten-tion to himself - a trait, I have learned,that certainly helps define his character.

Of course he probably wasabsorbed in his job at the time. He hadjust taken on the responsibility of grow-ing bentgrass greens year-around inCentral Florida for none other thanArnold Palmer.

monster - the Florida Green deadline -loomed ever larger as it grew nearer.

As editor, he had led hispublication to the GCSAA’s top award10 times in 11 years on the basis ofhigh journalistic principles, whichinclude thoroughness in reporting thenews of his franchise. What was hegoing to do?

“I’ve decided to run theGCSAA news release along withthe official photo of the presenta-tion,” Jackson said when his pub-lisher asked how he was going tohandle the situation. That wouldnever do, said the publisher, whomade other arrangements.

This is a brief profile ofthe man as seen by an outsider. Thefacts of his resume are known to mostFlorida Green readers and the high-lights are listed here. But what kind ofa man earns these kinds of honors? Inthe end, I come back to the phraseused earlier: he is the consummateprofessional.

It’s not about technicalskill and knowledge. It’s about takingthose things to the phrase we have allcome to hate: the next level, which isthe heart and attitude with which youapply those skills and knowledge.

“My standing goal always

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GCSAA Honors Florida’sConsummate Professional

FGCSA Director of Communications Joel Jackson, right, accepts one of threeGCSAA Distinguished Service Awards presented in Atlanta by President MikeWallace, CGCS. Photo by Bruce Matthews.

Originally from: TampaFamily: Wife Susie (married June1965), daughter Jennifer - creativedirector for Ensemble Productions, LosAngeles (past credits - film“Supernova,” HBO Miniseries “Bandof Brothers”EducationPlant High School, TampaUniversity of South Florida, Tampa; BAgeology 1964 (charter freshman 1960)Southern Mill Creek Turf Boot Camp,Tampa, 1975EmploymentU.S. Coast Guard officer, 1965-68University of South Florida, graduateteaching assistant,1968-71Orange County Schools, eighth gradescience teacher, 1971-73Golf course architect Bill Dietsch,Miami, field rep, 1972-74Lake Buena Vista Club, Walt DisneyWorld, golf course crew, foreman,assistant superintendent, superintend-ent 1974-88Isleworth Country Club,Windermere, golf course superin-tendent 1988-91Osprey Ridge and Magnolia golfcourses, Walt Disney World, golf

course superintendent 1991-97FGCSA director of communications,1998-presentProfessional AffiliationsCentral Florida GCSA - all offices(president 1985-86)Florida GCSA - all offices (president1989); Distinguished Service Award1992Florida Turfgrass Association -Publications, public relations, andconference committees; Wreath ofGrass Award 2002GCSAA - Certified Golf CourseSuperintendent 1985 (Retired 2003);Nominating, conference and show,publications, and government rela-tions committees; 2003 DistinguishedService AwardUSGA - Florida Region GreensSection committeeInternational Network of GolfAgriculture Institute of FloridaUnique PrivilegeThe Disney Years - Got to meet andchat with Bob Hope, Joe Thiesman,Byant Gumbel, John Denver, TerryBradshaw, Michael Jordan, MichaelEisner and lots of good hard-work-ing people.

Personal Information

But that was only thebeginning. In the next 18 months,while trying to keep a delicate cool-season grass alive in Florida’s brutalsummer sunshine, Jackson also• became editor of the Florida Green;• became president of the Florida

GCSA;• underwent double bypass surgery

(his first of three or four cardiac pro-cedures);

• was host to the GCSAAInternational Golf CourseConference and Show’s first-evervisit to Florida.

Oh yes. I think that wasabout the year that daughter Jenniferentered high school. If not, she was aneighth-grader, which is even worse!

Near the back of this issueis a column by Jim Walker about amythical “S-Man,” a superintendentwho is expected to accomplish impos-sible tasks before breakfast. Thosemythical tasks in Walker’s cheek palein comparison to the real-life chal-lenges Jackson faced in 1989-90... andovercame.

But the man not only sur-vived, he thrived even though the bent-grass path was far from smooth and

Jackson ended up returning to Disneyin 1991. Still that job with Palmer wasthe scene of one the highlights of hiscareer.

“Arnold Palmer was play-ing golf with the CEO of the NestleCorp. and told me, ‘This is the way Ialways wanted the course to be,’” wasthe first thing Jackson said in listing hispersonal memorable moments.

Other highlights includedmaking three treks to AugustaNational to learn the secrets of prepar-ing for the Masters. “We watched theevolution of golf course maintenanceon the most coveted course in thegame,” he said.

In 1992, Jackson wasawarded the FGCSA’s DistinguishedService Award. It was well earned andan honor that most would consider thepinnacle of a career. Joel Jackson wasjust getting started.

He began writing articlesfor other publications in addition tothe Florida Green, and he beganattending meetings with regulators,legislative hearings and other organi-zations in the golf and turfgrass indus-tries. He began writing letters to news-papers, lawmakers, bureaucrats and

Green, but also for the national pub-lication Golfdom, and for his home-town golf publication, CentralFlorida Golfer - defending theindustry, challenging its regulatorsand patiently explaining the com-plexity of managing vast environ-mental systems.

When he writes andspeaks for internal audiences, how-ever, he preaches professionalism.Listen to the advice he would givethe future generation of golf coursesuperintendents:

“If you are bound anddetermined to become a superintend-ent, then supplement your agronomicand technical education with businessand communication courses, includingwriting. I guarantee you that dealingwith people - owners, committees, gen-eral managers, golfers, and your ownstaff - will be your most difficult task.

“You will have numeroussources for turf-problem solving,including your peers, suppliers, andconsultants, but your face-to-faceinteractions with the people who countat your club will require you to be agood communicator and leader.

Once on board, learn the

golf officials.Soon Joel Jackson the

information-seeker became JoelJackson the sought-after spokesmanfor the golf-course-maintenanceindustry in Florida.

As the physical demandsof the job and the stress of main-taining high-profile golf coursesincreased, another heart procedureconvinced Jackson to “retire” so hecould begin the career he had beenpreparing for his entire professionallife: communicating the needs ofthe golf industry to its participantsand the people who would regulateit.

He began work as theFGCSA’s director of communica-tions in 1998.

“I have always believedin communicating up and down thechain of command to keep everyoneinformed of what is expected andwhat is going on,” he said. “Nowmy goals are aimed at taking themessage of the golf industry to thelegislators, regulators and generalpublic.”

Jackson now writes reg-ularly not only for the Florida

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8 T H E F L O R I D A G R E E N

business at your club. It is not suffi-cient to just run your department. Ifyou understand how everything isconnected and the revenues andexpenses are in focus, you can makeyourself more valuable and even acandidate for general manager if thatis in your career path.

Ask questions. Admitmistakes. Always seek ways toimprove and don’t be shy about writ-ing reports and memos that highlightyour learning experiences from peervisits, at monthly chapter meetingsand GCSAA conference and showexperiences.

“It shows you are on theball working to improve yourself andthe conditions at your club.”

From the man whowalked the walk before he talkedabout it.

Larry Kieffer

Darren J. DavisWins SecondLeo Feser Award

Darren J. Davis, director ofgolf course operations at Olde Florida

Golf Club, Naples, was presented withthe 2002 Leo Feser Award Feb. 12 atthe opening session of the Golf CourseSuperintendents Association ofAmerica’s 74th International GolfCourse Conference and Show inAtlanta. It was marked the second timeDavis has won this award.

The Feser Award honorsthe best superintendent-authored articlepublished in the association’s monthlymagazine, Golf Course Management.The winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the conference and showand will have his name engraved on aplaque for display at GCSAA head-quarters in Lawrence, Kan.

Davis was recognized forhis two-part article, “An Olde FloridaCourse Made New,” published in theJanuary and February 2002 issues ofGCM. The article discussed theincreasing problem of off-typebermudagrass. Because playability wasbeing compromised by the progressionof the “off-types,” Davis and his staffengineered an aggressive re-grassingproject that has been well-received.

Davis is the only two-timewinner of the Leo Feser Award. Hepreviously received the award in 1997

revitalization of the Olde Florida GolfClub,” said Ricky D. Heine, CGCS,chairman of the GCSAA publicationscommittee. “Darren is certainly a wor-thy recipient of GCSAA’s Leo FeserAward.”

for his article “Sowing the Seeds ofKnowledge,” published in theDecember 1996 issue of GCM.

“Darren Davis’s article,‘An Olde Florida Course Made New,’is an excellent story that celebrates the

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Darren Davis, right, from the Olde Florida G.C. in Naples makes history asGCSAA President Mike Wallace presents him with his second GCSAA Leo FeserAward. Photo by Bruce Mathews.

The award honors thelate Leo Feser, a pioneer golf coursesuperintendent and a charter memberof GCSAA. Feser is credited withthe keeping the association’s officialpublication alive during the GreatDepression. For three years, hewrote, edited, assembled and pub-lished each issue of the magazinefrom his home in Wayzata, Minn.

Davis is also a regularcontributor to The Florida Green.His regular Hands-On feature called“Super Tips” conveys cost-effectiveand innovative ideas he has discov-ered on his visits to golf coursesacross the country and around theworld.

Davis’s articles may be accessed athttp://www.gcsaa.org/gcm/2002/jan0

2/01olde.html http://www.gcsaa.org/gcm/2002/feb0

2/02olde.html

CFGCSA GivesPresidents AwardTo Leventhal

The Central FloridaGCSA rewarded Stuart Leventhal,

CGCS at the Interlachen CountryClub for his 20-plus years of participa-tion and support in the central Floridagolf industry by selecting him toreceive a 2002 FGCSA President’sAward for Lifetime Service.

Leventhal, originally fromNatick, Mass. moved to Florida at age5. His father was the general managerat the Wedgefield C.C. whenLeventhal was in college and heworked part time on the course whilepursuing a degree in criminal justiceat the University of Central Florida inthe late 1970s. Little did he realize that

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Stewart Leventhal, CGCS

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he would return to golf and make a suc-cessful career in the fields of green.

As the harsh realities of acriminal justice career set in, Leventhaldecided to capitalize on his experience ingolf and he began taking ornamentalhorticulture classes at ValenciaCommunity College to provide him withthe basics in agronomy. Armed with thisknowledge he landed the superinten-dent’s position at Orlando’s city-ownedDubsdread golf course, once a stop onthe PGA Tour back in the 40s and 50s.

Leventhal says he came ofage as a superintendent while atDubsdread. “Golf course architect LloydClifton was a consultant for the city ofOrlando when I was at Dubsdread. Heconnected all the dots for me and tied allmy practical experiences in the field andall my theoretical education in the class-room together.”

After two years atDubsdread, Leventhal took over the reinsat the Rolling Hills C. C. in Longwoodand got a taste of private-club operationsduring his three-year stay. In 1985, hewas tapped to take over the 10-year-oldInterlachen C.C. in Winter Park.Eighteen years later, his lightning-fastgreens are a legend in the area.

Leventhal has given backto his profession by serving lengthyterms on the advisory committee forthe Mid-Florida Turf Conference andon the board of directors for theCentral Florida GCSA. He was presi-dent of the chapter for 1991-93.Leventhal also has been a long-timemember of the Larry KamphausCrowfoot Open Committee, helpingto make this one of the premiersocial/business events of each year.Leventhal, with the generous partici-pation of the Interlachen C.C., hashosted the annual CFGCSA - FTGATurf Research Fund Raiser, whichbrings superintendents and club offi-cials together for education and golfeach January.

Leventhal is a member ofthe Central Florida GCSA, the FloridaGCSA, the Golf CourseSuperintendents Association ofAmerica and the Florida TurfgrassAssociation.

Congratulations andthanks to Stuart Leventhal, CGCS forhis steadfast support of the professionand the golf course industry.

Joel Jackson

Jackson, who was awarded one of thethree 2003 GCSAA DistinguishedService Awards at the 74thInternational Golf Course Conference& Show in Atlanta. The recognition ofJoel’s long service to the industry wasrichly deserved.

At our annualSuperintendent/Vendor event at theDeltona Hills C.C. in February, wewere blown away by the motivationalpresentation by Jim Cassis. Cassisspent 12 years with the Chicago Bearsorganization and his speaker’s clientlist reads like a Fortune 500 directory.He was awesome. We’re recommend-ing him as a General Session speakerfor GCSAA.

EvergladesWe’d like to add our con-

gratulations to our External VicePresident Darren Davis for receivinghis second Leo Feser Award at theGCSAA Conference in Atlanta.Davis is a proven communicator withhis work with EPIC Productions’training videos and his Super Tipsarticles in the Florida Green. Wewould also like to recognize ScottWhorrall and the Bonita Bay Group

Chapter Round Up

CantwellEvent Nets$50,000Calusa

In conjunction with theEverglades GCSA we want to thankeveryone who sponsored and partici-pated in the Mike Cantwell MemorialTournament on January 17th. (Seesidebar) We were able to raise$50,000 for the Cantwell children’seducational trust fund.

Central FloridaWalt Disney World’s Bob

Karnes, superintendent of the BonnetCreek Club was recognized in theFebruary 2003 issue of Florida GolfCentral magazine for his environmen-tal steward work in getting the Disneycourses certified in the ACSP pro-gram. Bob was presented with aunique birdhouse by Fort LoudonDesigns of Louisville, Tenn.. We arealso proud of our hometown boy Joel

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for being the top-ranked NationalPrivate Club in the EnvironmentalLeaders in Golf Award given byGCSAA and Golf Digest magazine.

We received a nice thank-you letterfrom the Children’s Home Societyfor our donations of cash and toys.They informed us that we helped to

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Florida Golf Central Magazine recognizes Disney Superintendent Bob Karnesfor his environmental leadership with new birdhouse for his course. Photo byJoel Jackson.

feed two families Christmas dinnerand the toys valued at $2,500 madefor a Merry Christmas morning for alot of kids. We are hoping for a big

turnout at our EGCSA SpringSymposium to be held April 25. Wehave lined up speakers like Dr. FredYelverton, Dr. Frank Rossi, Dr. Joe

Scott Whorrall (left) from The Club at Mediterra in North Naples accepts theEnvironmental Leaders in Golf Award for the top National Private Club fromGCSAA President Mike Wallace, CGCS. Photo by Joel Jackson.

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Dipoala, Frank Thomas/ EPA WaterShed Coordinator, and Lake City’sJohn Piersol for a full day of educa-tion.

North FloridaWe had a great turnout

at the Duval County ExtensionOffice for the FTGA RegionalSeminar in January. At our Marchmeeting we will have a presentationby Carolyn Silvers from the St.Johns River Water Management

District on water issues as we seek tostay current and informed on ournumber-one resource. We are alsobusy signing up volunteers to act asTV spotters for NBC Sports for theTPC Championship in late March. OnApril 7 the Jacksonville G&CC willhost the Mike Richards MemorialTournament. This event raises fundsfor scholarships for turf students in thememory of two north Florida golfindustry leaders - Mike Richards andAlan Maccurach.

expert! We bid a sad but fond farewellto our President Tyler Warner. Tylerhad to turn his gavel over to PetePowell as he stepped down from hissuperintendent’s job at AddisonReserve to take a position with GolfVentures.

RidgeFGCSA Director of

Communications Joel Jackson had toturn his 10-minute government relationsupdate into a full presentation when ourspeaker failed to show up at our Januarymeeting at the Lake Region Yacht &Country Club. With questions and inputfrom the audience the session turnedinto a good discussion of the regulatoryand public relations issues facing ourindustry.

March 3 marked an evendozen Ridge Invitational tournamentsthat Roy Wilshire, CGCS and theGrasslands C.C. will have hosted.Thanks Roy for helping us raise neededfunding for turf research and the localcharities we support. This year’s cham-pion was Brian Montillaro from TheHamptons C.C. in Auburndale. Brian, a4 handicapper, had a hot putter as hefired an even-par 72 to win the event.

Palm BeachThe Palm Beach-heavy

FGCSA Golf Team No. 1 came insecond at the GCSAA GolfChampionship in February at HiltonHead, S.C. Congratulations to MarkHenderson, Steve Bernard and TylerWarner for their fine play. Speaking ofgolf, the PGA Tour’s Honda Classicmoves to Palm Beach’s Mirasol Clubthe second week in March and ourchapter will once again be working asTV spotters and scorers for NBCSports. It’s a fun way to raise fundsand to see the tournament from insidethe ropes. We have two other bigevents coming up in April and June:the Chip Fowkes Memorial at BocaireG.C. will raise funds for Chip’sdaughter’s college education and theFuture of Golf at The Falls C.C. willbenefit turf research and junior golfprograms.

John Foy, director of theUSGA Florida Region Green Sectionwrote an article on the tough winterweather’s effects on area golf coursesthat was printed in the Palm BeachPost’s sports section. Thanks John.The golfers don’t always believe us.They have to hear it from an outside

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The Ridge Invitational Committee, from left: Tom Barnett, Jeff Brown, ClayMarshall, Steve Ciardullo, Chris Clarke, Roy Wilshire and Mark Hopkins. Photoby Joel Jackson

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Seven RiversOur leading turf research

fundraiser gets a new name and a newChampionship Sponsor April 21. Inmemory of our friend and mentor, JeffHayden, the 11-year-old event becomesThe Jeff Hayden Envirotron Classic,and Golf Ventures, Inc. becomes theChampionship Sponsor. We can’t sayenough thank-you’s to Barbaron, Inc.and the Kitchen family for their leader-ship and generous financial support,which set a new benchmark for corpo-rate funding for turf research in Florida.

At our February chaptermeeting, Perry Haley from Harrell’stalked about soil aerification and inMarch at Haile Plantation inGainesville we will have a health-care expert give us a presentationon wellness management.

South FloridaWe’d like to congratulate

Joe Pantaleo, Indian Creek C.C. andour external vice president and thenew FGCSA secretary-treasurer onhis great victory as the 2003 GCSAAGolf Championship winner. Joe shot afinal-round 74 on the always-toughHarbour Town course to take home

the USGA Traveling Trophy. We havegolf on our minds as the PGA Tourrolls into town the first week ofMarch at the (Ford) Doral Open andbegins its Florida swing. At ourJanuary meeting at Key Biscayne, wewere treated to a presentation byChampions Tour (Senior PGA) playerChristy O’Connor on life on the Tourand course set-up for a PGA event.O’Connor has won 12 EuropeanSenior Tournaments, two BritishSenior Opens, and two US Senior

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Brian Montillaro wins the 2003 RidgeInvitational. Photo by Joel Jackson.

FGCSA Secretary/ Treasurer Joe Pantaleo from the Indian Creek C.C. in Miamiis all smiles as he accepts the USGA Traveling Trophy from USGA’s Danny Yatesfor winning the 2003 GCSAA Golf Championship. Photo by Bruce Mathews.

events. We also got to break in KeyBiscayne’s brand new TiffEaglegreens.

SuncoastWe held a joint

Suncoast GCSA and EquipmentTechnicians Association meetingJan. 27 at Jim Svabek’s BradentonC.C.. This superintendent/supplierevent was conceived to show ourappreciation for all the supplierswho faithfully support our eventsand programs throughout the year.Suppliers are invited to set up dis-plays on the driving range andbring up to three pieces fordemonstrations. Lunch includedthe now-infamous “Belly Busters”hot dogs and, after golf, we headeddown to the maintenance facility

for Andy, Mel and Bob’s FamousBarbeque, which made the daycomplete and kicked off our 2003season in fine form.

We will be hosting ourannual Suncoast Scramble atMisty Creek C.C. on March 18.This superintendent/golf pro/clubofficial/supplier team event is theepitome of cooperation across allareas of the golf business. OurPresident John VanVranken is nowhanging his GCS shingle at theStoney Brook at Heritage HarborG.C. in Bradenton.

Treasure CoastKevin Downing organized

a “Trends in the Club Industry” meet-ing in February with guest speakersfrom the Club Managers Association,

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On Nov. 11, members ofthe Everglades and Calusa GolfCourse Superintendents Associationsunexpectedly lost a longtime friendand colleague, Mike Cantwell.

To pay our respects toMike and lend support to his wifeGwen and three children - Jessup 17,Alex 8, and Tracy 7 - the two chap-ters co-hosted a benefit golf tourna-ment on Jan. 17 at Miromar LakesGolf and Beach Club and the golfcourse at Grandezza.

Both golf courses andthe local vendors, colleagues andother friends of Mike’s rose to theoccasion to make the event a hugesuccess. In addition to having asellout crowd of 250 golfers forthe scramble event, paying $100 aperson, vendors were very gener-ous in their support. Hole sponsor-ships were sold for $200 each, anda variety of terrific silent auctionitems and raffle prizes were donat-ed. Items ranged from rounds ofgolf at a number of the area clubs,golf equipment, vacations andeven autographed sports memora-bilia.

Both for enjoyment ofthose who participated and as afund-raiser, the event was a hugesuccess. The hole sponsorshipsraised $12,400; the raffle generated$4,660 and the silent auction addedanother $7,080 to the total. In all, theevent raised $50,000, which wasdeposited into a trust fund that wasestablished for the future needs ofMike’s children.

The Grandezza winningteam was the twosome of SteveSimpson and Tim Denton and thefoursome that took top honors atMiromar were Charlie McMullen,Lee Crosby, Kenyon Kyle and RobBuege. Each winner was presented aplaque that was donated by theTrophy Case of Fort Myers.

It would be impossible tomention all of those who made theevent a success but a special thanksis owed to the management and staffof both golf courses who were gra-cious enough to donate their facili-ties, and to Wiley McCall ofEmerald Island turf who once againdonated his time and money to pre-pare his famous barbecue dinner forall in attendance. The boards of bothassociations worked diligently on theevent but a special debt of gratitudeis owed to Jim Leiseberg, presidentof the Everglades GCSA and toSamantha Kriesch, executive secre-tary of the Calusa GCSA, whoworked so hard to make the event ahuge success.

Contact information forthose friends of Mike who may nothave been able to contribute previous-ly: The name of the trust fund isMichael J. Cantwell Memorial TrustFund. The bank is Union Bank &Trust Co., 121 South 13th, Lincoln,NE 68505

The trustee for the fundis Kathy Lahman, 402-476-8681.The branch manager for the bank isJoan Zieger, 402-0323-1670.

Darren Davis

Cantwell Trust Fund Raiser a BigSuccess

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USGA, and National Golf Foundation,and McGladrey Pullen, a CPA firm. Itwas an informative session for key deci-sion-makers at golf clubs. The TCGCSAboard also voted to donate funds to sup-port the South Fork High School turfprogram and to donate $5,000 to theFlorida Turfgrass Research Foundation.The board also approved a $5,000 dona-tion to the Challenger School for dis-abled children to help with the cost of

landscaping their new playground andpavilion. TCGCSA member KevinDowning will consult on the design andplant material for this project.

West CoastWe had positive feedback

from our first Chapter Vendor Daymeeting at the USF golf course hostedby superintendent Mike Wilcox inDecember. We are looking forward

making this an annual event. Oureducation committee has made acommitment to providing educationwith pesticide and GCSAACEUs/points to satisfy pesticide-license renewal and PDI/CGCSrequirements. With that in mind, Dr.Lawrence Datnoff, plant pathologistwith UF/IFAS spoke about pythiumblight on overseeded turf at ourJanuary meeting at Crescent Oaks

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The newly enacted FGCSA Benevolent Fund got a great start with over $3,000 in donations at the FGCSA Reception inAtlanta. Photo by Joel Jackson.

GC. At our February meeting atGerald Marquart’s Largo G.C.,Syngenta’s Kevin Wasalewski andSteve Kammerer made a presenta-tion on turf and ornamental diseaseswith the emphasis on ornamentals.Both presentations earned pesticideCEUs. The meeting at Largo is anannual tradition as Gerald always putson a fun two-man scramble event athis nine-hole executive course. InMarch, at Jim Sharpe’s SummerfieldG.C., the International Sports TurfResearch Institute will make a presen-tation on the properties and physics ofsoil including aerification anddrainage issues.

Florida GCSAThe association is very

proud of the fact that four FGCSAmembers won four top national awardsat the 2003 GCSAA Conference. Theyhave been mentioned in the variouschapter sections above. President DavidCourt, CGCS will be leading a delega-tion to Tallahassee to meet with key leg-islators as part of our commitment toreaching out and establishing relation-ships with lawmakers, media and thegeneral public. Mike Goldie will bearranging appointments with Senate andHouse leaders to discuss issues facingthe golf industry. In a move to encour-age new members, the board approvedprorating FGCSA dues for the rest ofthe fiscal year. The FGCSA Receptionin Atlanta lived up to its reputation forgood food and good fellowship. MarieRoberts estimates that nearly 600 peo-ple attended the event. The receptionwas also the debut of the FGCSABenevolent Fund which took in morethan $3,000 in donations. The fund wasmade part of the FGCSA budget inresponse to the overwhelming need tosupport members’ families in the wakeof the unprecedented number of deathsof FGCSA members last year.