Spring was in full bloom at Castlewood Country Club on Sunday, March 21st! About 75 youth in the Tri-Valley area attended a kick-off of the golf spring season and learned about valuable life skills and core values. The First Tee Tri-Valley is a non-profit organization that reaches youth ages 7 - 17 with a goal of impacting the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.

The event was broken into two parts -- learning with expert speakers and then a fun pasta feed with bingo and prizes! The goal of the event was tri-fold - believe in yourself, learn something new, and have fun!!! Matthew "Chewy" Matus (youth advocate) spoke about making good choices, Dina Capaccioli (registered dietitian) shared important nutrition tips - Mediterranean diet, importance of drinking enough fluids, and getting enough rest, Roger Whincup (First Tee Tri-Valley, Program Director) shared the importance of life skills, four First Tee Tri-Valley participants shared personal stories about the 9 core values, Dana Dormann (LPGA Site Director of Girls Golf) reviewed the mentoring and fun of monthly girl tournaments, and Joshua Garrison (Comerica, Bank Manager) excited kids about being good money planners. It was a great opportunity for the kids to build relationships and be reminded about the importance of making good choices every day!