The Morristown, N.J. club has launched a charitable organization, ClubsHELP, to encourage properties to adopt a local hospital and provide its workers with much-needed resources and supplies as they work on the front lines to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Spring Brook adopted Morristown Medical Center in late March, and in less than two weeks, club members and the club’s foundation donated and delivered more than 2,000 drinks, 500 meals, and 1,000 energy bars to Morristown hospital workers. The initiative has quickly gained national support through the efforts of PGA Tour pro Ernie Els and others, with at least 60 properties in 13 states connecting with the network so far.
In the fight against COVID-19, Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown, N.J., has launched a nationwide initiative to encourage properties and their members to “adopt” a local hospital and provide it with resources and supplies to support staff members on the frontlines of the pandemic.
“In the last 11 days, we created a national charitable organization called ClubsHELP,” David Bachman, CCM, CCE, Spring Brook’s General Manager/COO, said on Fox & Friends on April 10th.
“ClubsHELP brings country club managers and/or a key person together with a key person at a local hospital,” Bachman said. “We discovered that local hospitals had a need, and we had members at our clubs who were looking to support [them], and they needed a vehicle to do that.
Rob Goulet, CE of, Entertainment Sports Partners, Inc., and PGA Tour pro Ernie Els, co-founders of the initiative, also appeared on the show. “It’s a great cause, and we want to help the people on the frontlines,” said Els.
Spring Brook CC pioneered the program by adopting Morristown Medical Center in late March, and the club’s foundation, plus more than 400 members, has already been responsible for donating and delivering more than 2,000 drinks, 500 meals, and 1,000 energy bars to Morristown hospital workers.
At least 60 properties in 13 states have connected with the network so far. The New York Athletic Club, which has been supporting Mt. Sinai Hospital in Manhattan, has established a daily dropoff and is assisting ClubsHELP by recruiting NYC clubs into the cause.
Deepdale Golf Club in Manhassat, N.Y., just east of New York City on Long Island, has partnered with Elmhurst Hospital and delivered truckloads of hydration for its workers.
Corporate partners include CLIF BAR, Member Text, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Golf Writers Association of America, Arcis Golf, Concert Golf Partners, and Belo and Company.
Bachman and Goulet also conducted a National Club Association live webcast, “ClubsHELP.org,” on April 10th to discuss how other properties can adopt hospitals in their local communities. When a property adopts a hospital, its members, companies, and individual donors pitch in to gather, collect, and deliver the most critical items and resources. However, Goulet said in the webinar, “You don’t have to be a member of a club to be involved in this.”
The key areas where help is needed are:
- Basic food items such as bottled water, electrolyte drinks, hot meals, and wrapped sandwiches.
- Miscellaneous supplies including paper lunch bags, zip lock bags, UV lights for sterilization, and moisture wick T-shirts to wear under PPE gear.
- Delivery services to drop off and pick up items from club kitchens, club members’ restaurants, businesses, homes, etc.
Els, a member of Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., has partnered with Jupiter Medical Center, a partner of the Els for Autism Foundation.
For more information, visit the website that has been established for the initiative, www.clubshelp.org.
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