Whites donate Hickory Sticks to YMCA

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The YMCA of Van Wert County has always provided excellent sports, recreational, and fitness facilities to its members. Now, those facilities include a 27-hole golf course, with the donation of Hickory Sticks Golf Club to the Y.

The YMCA’s Board of Directors unanimously voted to accept the debt-free gift of Hickory Sticks through a donation of golf course and related facilities by Mark White and MSCS Real Estate, and Carol and Steve White.

By accepting the generous gift, the YM will continue to maintain Hickory Sticks as an affordable, publicly-accessible recreational asset to the Van Wert community.

“Combining the golf course and the Y into one community organization makes sense, since we have similar missions and want to offer expanded opportunities for improved health and recreation for children and adults of all ages,” said Chad Adams, YMCA board president. “We see the joining of the Y and Hickory Sticks as a true community partnership and are deeply appreciative of the Whites’ trust and confidence in the YMCA.”

Adams noted that, since its founding in 1914, the local YMCA has focused on fitness opportunities for the community. Adding the golf course will provide an additional location for programs and services, enabling more families and individuals to participate in new and different types of physical activities.

“We are excited about the new opportunities this resource will bring, along with the ability to reach new members,” said YMCA CEO Hugh Kocab. “By making Hickory Sticks Golf Club a part of the Y, we will have a broader range of programs and services, while enhancing the benefits of a YMCA membership.”

Kocab noted that programming being developed includes free youth golf lessons and clinics, Frisbee/disc golf, foot golf and outdoor exercise opportunities for local children, teens, adults, seniors, and families.

“The YMCA is honored to team up with Hickory Sticks Golf Club staff and current members, and we look forward to a smooth transition,” he added.

YMCA membership and Hickory Sticks Golf Club membership will remain separate, with the dues of each supporting those respective operations, Kocab explained. In addition, a dual membership that includes both facilities will be available in the near future.

Dual membership packages that include a YMCA membership, greens fees, a range pass, and unlimited cart use would run $1,080 for a single adult and $1,428 for families. Members at other YMCAs would also be able to golf at the club at reduced rates, Kocab said.

He also indicated that the YMCA plans to continue operation of the dining facility, known as Mulligan’s, under a management contract with an outside vendor.

“We invite the community to check out the Y and Hickory Sticks and get involved,” Kocab said. “The Y is so much more than a ‘swim and gym’ (facility).”

He also said that having the YMCA as a non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening the foundations of the community is critical to quality of life and economic development in Van Wert County.

Kocab and the YMCA board and staff are inviting area residents to stop at either the YMCA’s main facility at 241 W. Main St. or Hickory Sticks Golf Club, located two miles south of Van Wert on U.S. 127, for more information on Y facilities. More information on the golf course can be obtained by calling 419.238.0441 or online at www.hickorysticksgolf.com.