Proceeds from the golf outing support fourth-grade campers through “Camping for Girls!”
“I’m always excited to be able to share our mission with our golfers and let them know what we’ve done as far as sending girls to camp this year, and what a wonderful gift they help us provide,” said Brenda Davis, a member of the Ohio Z Chapter in Cincinnati, and Eastern Area chairperson.
The cost to participate in the golf tournament is $85 per golfer, and includes greens fees, cart, prizes, dinner, snacks and drinks. For details and registration go online to bit.ly/OHZGolf23. Those who prefer to pay by check can register online and select “Pay Later.” The deadline to register is Sept. 1.
Non-golfers may participate as sponsors; to do so visit bit.ly/OhioZFriend.
The Ohio Z Chapter provides each girl who attends camp with all of the clothes, shoes, toiletries and supplies she may need for the week.
Davis said many chapters do follow-up, or year-around activities. For example, the Ohio Z Chapter also fills a backpack full of school supplies for each girl as an end-of-summer gift. In addition, the girls’ families are provided with grocery gift certificates and each girl receives a gift at Christmastime.
“Our chapter personally provides all school supplies for their campers as well as a Christmas outing and a gift for the family,” she said.
The National T.T.T. Society – Camping for Girls makes a difference in the self-confidence, self-esteem, leadership skills and life choices of young girls by providing a no-cost summer camp experience. Since it’s founding in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa in 1911, the organization has sent thousands of girls to camp.
The triple T name means “Time, Talents and Treasure.”
“T.T.T. is a non-profit organization, and our mission is to send girls to camp who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to attend,” said Davis. “It’s a nationwide goal. This year, we are sending approximately 300 girls to camp.”
The Ohio Z Chapter has been hosting an annual golf outing since the chapter’s inception. In recent years, the fundraiser was renamed after one of the chapter’s founders, Jane DeGroff, who passed away suddenly in 2016.
“When we started the Ohio Z Chapter, Jane decided that one of the things we needed to do was have a fundraiser that would make us a decent amount of money, and not be a year around job,” Davis said. “Since Jane was an avid golfer, she said, ‘Let’s have a golf tournament.’ So, we did.”
Many of the young girls who attend camp have grown up and become leaders of local T.T.T. Chapters.
“Our chapter has three former campers Carly James, Lorrie Tucker and Erica Kiphart … It is an experience that has an impact for years. When we encounter the girls as adults, they always talk about how important camp was to them,” Davis said.
Chapter leaders have also served as a resource for finding deserving girls. Many members of the Ohio Z Chapter are teachers or former educators. Girls from districts such as Lakota Local School District and Winton Woods City Schools have attended camp.
“When I was still teaching, I happened to teach fourth grade at Winton Woods, and I was the liaison,” Davis said.
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