COVID-19 Archives - Golf Course Home

Nobody does logistics better than the military. So when it came to a COVID-19 relief effort at the military retirement community of Indian River Colony Club, it just seemed natural for residents to spring into action when the governor of Florida ordered businesses and restaurants shuttered.

Upon his issuing of the state-wide stay-at-home order, the Viera, Florida, community of nearly 800 homes quickly created, and then supported their own COVID-19 relief effort that both benefited senior residents and protected staff jobs.

The busy At Ease Club restaurant quickly retooled its processes for takeout only. Using the lunch menu as a foundation and adding an entree “special,” the club now prepares and boxes up between 170 and 200 takeout meals daily.

That number swelled on Easter, when 385 special holiday meals were prepared to order, boxed and bagged and staged for car and golf cart pickup. Send me more information about Indian River Colony Club

COVID-19 Relief – Grocery Shopping, Too

Resident Pat Fuller picks up her Easter take-out meals.

A second and particularly innovative program for the golf course community was devised by Club Manager, Thomas Shonkwiler. He created a grocery menu for the new At Ease Post Exchange (PX) which allows residents to avoid grocery store shopping and stay sheltered at home.

Neighborhood members simply place their orders for more than 30 popular grocery items that include chicken breasts, steak, luncheon meats, cheese, eggs, soft drinks, snacks and even beer and wine.

The orders are filled and bagged by restaurant employees and organized for next day pickup in a car and golf cart line.

Together, the lunch and dinner takeout program and the Post Exchange grocery program have helped minimize exposure to the COVID-19 virus for residents, while safeguarding the jobs of the club staff.

Indian River Colony Club has 94 total employees, including 21 kitchen, wait and bar staff. A disproportionate number of restaurant and hospitality staff workers are among the hundreds of thousands of unemployment claims filed in Florida since the onset of the Corona virus outbreak. But there are none from Indian River Colony Club.

Residents Give Thanks

Indian River Colony Club resident, Sally Grissom is grateful for the ways in which the community food service workers are keeping the neighborhood safe.

“The club is offering a pretty extensive list of groceries for residents to purchase so that we can avoid the grocery stores,” said Grissom. “They had over 100 grocery orders in the first two days! Between the At Ease Club Post Exchange grocery orders and all of the daily lunch and dinner takeout meals, we have kept all of our staff on the payroll. They are doing so much to help us and the residents here couldn’t be happier.” Send me more information about Indian River Colony Club

World Golf Hall of Famer, 2019 Presidents Cup Captain, and PGA Tour golfer Ernie Els has issued a challenge to his fellow professionals and club golfers everywhere–Join ClubsHELP and help defeat COVID-19:

Become the captain of your club, adopt a local hospital, and marshal club resources to deliver greatly needed supplies to those on the frontlines during this unprecedented international health crisis.

That’s the essence of ClubsHELP, a 501(c)7 foundation created to connect clubs with hospitals in their local areas to provide critically needed support for health workers as they care for victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The sense of community generated in each market has been stronger than ever. Now, this collective energy, along with club resources, are being deployed where they are needed most—at the local level.

Ernie Els: Pulling golf together to defeat COVID-19.

“When my management team told me about this initiative, I was right behind it straight away,” said Els.

“It’s a shining example of how people all around the world are pulling together in this crisis to help vulnerable members of society and, of course, support the frontline healthcare staff who are literally putting their lives on the line for all of us.”

How does this new initiative work?

A member steps up to be her/his club’s “captain.” The club then adopts a local hospital and the adopted hospital appoints a captain.

Working cooperatively, the captains identify the most pressing needs at the adopted hospital. Then club members, companies and individual donors pitch in to gather, collect and deliver the most necessary items and resources to the hospital.

Join ClubsHELP. To be a captain, register your club, pledge support or get additional information, Go to www.clubshelp.org or text ClubsHELP to 71441.

Beleaguered northeastern states Get First Help

The team leapt into action last week and quickly assisted hospitals in beleaguered northeastern states—New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. ClubsHELP companies like Clif Bar and AT&T are already supplying Mt. Sinai and Bellevue Hospitals in New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The most pressing needs for the frontline hospital workers are basic food items that can be consumed quickly, PPE supplies, UV lighting for sterilization of phones and keys, and delivery services,” said Bachman.

“Anything a member may be able to offer, including transport vehicles, personnel, or manufacturing capabilities, should be raised with their club and hospital captains.”

Golf Organizations Jump In

The assistance of golf’s premier organizations, including the National Club Association and Golf Writers Association of America, and leadership have pledged to jumpstart the ClubsHELP program and make a swift and meaningful impact in communities throughout the United States.

Additionally, the American Hospital Association (AHA) and American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) have alerted their memberships that golf clubs across the country are activating.

Els, a member of Old Palm Golf Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. He has previously partnered with Jupiter Medical Center for the Els for Autism Foundation.

How to Join ClubsHELP

To be a captain, register your club, pledge support or get additional information, access the website at www.clubshelp.org or text ClubsHELP to 71441.