"Our goal of changing lives one game at a time is accomplished through the hard work and dedication of our partner programs like The First Tee of Greater Seattle," said foundation director Chris Turnley.  "They have created a program where kids develop discipline, honesty, a connection to the community and will forever see the world differently than when they showed up," he remarked.

Named in memory of Peter M. Putnam, the year-old Putnam Foundation provides opportunities to learn the values of competition, leadership and fair play by promoting increased participation in youth sports.  Pete Putnam, a native of Spokane and 1990 graduate of Washington State University, enjoyed sports throughout his life, which was cut short by Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (CJD), a rare and fatal human neurodegenerative condition. He died Oct. 20, 2003 at the age of 35, only months after his diagnosis.

Turnley said the Putnam Foundation (http://www.putnamfoundation.org/) honors Pete's passion for youth sports and the lifelong friendships he developed through his childhood teammates. The Foundation promotes increased participation in youth sports, often in partnership with community groups, to provide affordable opportunities for children to learn the values of competition, leadership and fair play.

"It seems every year more and more programs are cut," Turnley observed, noting, "The exceptional work that is done by The First Tee of Greater Seattle is needed more today than ever. The communities served by this program will be forever better because kids found mentors who spent time teaching them how to think positively about the game, their power of attitude, and the importance of responsibility.  This time together will have a lifetime of lessons, on and off the course," he stated.

About The First Tee

The First Tee (http://www.thefirsttee.org/) is an initiative of the nonprofit World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization based in St Augustine, Fla., at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact 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.

Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has opened 266 golf-learning facilities in 41 states and five international locations and has introduced the game of golf to more than 627,000 participants.

The First Tee of Greater Seattle (http://www.thefirstteeseattle.org/) was formed in 2001 from a collaborative effort involving the Broadmoor Golf Club Foundation, The First Tee, the board of Municipal Golf of Seattle and the City of Seattle. During 2005, its third year of programming, approximately 675 kids attended weekly classes at three golf courses.