Putt-putt therapy

The miniature golf course will open communitywide in mid-June.
By JAYME RAMSON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
HOWLAND -- An Eagle Scout combined his love of golf with his community service project and the result is a new miniature golf course behind Forum Health Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital.
An open house and dedication ceremony took place Thursday at the Timberwolf Miniature Golf Course, followed by the first round of play on the new course.
Brandon Zavara, a 17-year-old from Windham, initiated the plans for the course and was involved with the project's every phase.
Zavara said he jumped at the chance to focus his community service project on golf. He then worked with others on its planning and design. Construction, funded entirely by donations, started Sept. 7, 2002.
"This is the biggest project I've ever seen a kid take on. It's probably the one that will keep on giving longer than any of the other projects I've seen," said Randy Seiple, Zavara's project adviser. "From the design phase to the construction phase to now, he was there for everything."
How it started
Zavara said he got involved when Ken Kramp, the GOLFF (Go On Living For Fun) coordinator at Forum Health, talked about a potential project at the scouts' roundtable meeting.
"Ken asked if there were any scouts that were interested in doing that and I kind of spoke up," said Zavara, a letterman for his high school golf team.
Kramp said that anyone in the community that has a disability and their friends can come use the facility, starting in mid-June, from 3 to 7 p.m. every Saturday.
"I think what it does is that it just really allows for an activity that someone can do from start to finish," Kramp said. "We will have people staying in the hospital and people living in the community that will be able to use the facility."
Scout leader pleased
While Zavara was content with the finished course, others affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America were pleased that the course has the potential to involve the entire community.
"This brings into a whole new light some of the things that the Boy Scouts are working with," said Scott Johnson, district director of the BSA's Arrowhead district. "We have a merit badge for understanding Americans with disabilities, so this is a perfect way for Brandon to get to the point of understanding what it takes to work with folks that are in that situation."
Zavara agreed that the experience was rewarding for him.
"I'm happy to help out people in the community. I want to give something back that would be appreciated by the community," he said.
jramson@vindy.com