Tom Hoggarth named Volunteer of the Year for his work with G.O.L.F.

Tom Hoggarth, Little Falls, has been a tremendous volunteer for the Golfers Organized of Little Falls (G.O.L.F). So much so, that he was honored by receiving the Chamber of Commerce Volunteer of the Year award.

An anonymous nominator had only great things to say about him. “As our Chamber Board president, Tom has gone above and beyond. He agreed to stay as president a second year and has helped with our transitions at the Chamber. Tom is available, friendly, and kind and he embodies what our Chamber represents,” read the nomination.

Hoggarth had been a long-time member of the Little Falls Country Club, but it wasn’t until Al Bauman came to him with a proposition back in 2008.

“Al Bauman came to me, and he said the course needed a fairway mower and didn’t have money for it,” Hoggarth said. “The course was city-run, city-owned, and the clubhouse manager didn’t want to go to the city and ask for it so he asked Al what he could do. Al said, ‘Let’s have a fundraiser tournament and get you a new fairway motor.’ So, Al came to me and asked if I would help with that.”

When asked, Hoggarth was just a member. He had been involved with the comfort station in the middle of the course and maybe a few other things but nothing as involved as a fundraiser tournament.

Hoggarth said he and Bauman started the tournament, along with a bunch of other members from the Extravaganza Golf Committee and it’s been an annual event ever since. From the tournament alone, Hoggarth said they average around $20,000 a year with around $5,000 going toward expenses, netting $15,000 every year that goes toward the organization. The money is used for things like maintaining the golf course and the Little Falls High School golf teams.

Read the full article here.