By Jennifer Eisenbart
Editor
For 27 years, the Abbey Springs Ladies Golf League has been committed to helping local charities.
For the past three years, the league has been committed to helping one specific organization – New Beginnings APFV.
With its annual Guest/Charity Day, the women’s league raised $48,300 this year to donate to New Beginnings.
New Beginnings Executive Director Suzi Schoenhoft said it was both a shock – and a pleasant surprise – when the league reached out to let them know about the donation.
“We found out late,” Schoenhoft said. “We kind of assumed we weren’t getting it.”
About a month before the outing, Schoenhoft said the group informed them of the donation. From both sides of the aisle, the issues that New Beginnings tackles are important.
The organization provides comprehensive support and services to people affected by violent crimes – not just domestic abuse and sexual violence, but stalking, harassment and human trafficking.
That support includes crisis intervention, legal advocacy, safety planning, individual counseling, housing advocacy, children’s services, medical advocacy and information, as well as referral to other community resources as needed.
All of that support is provided by 11 team members and New Beginnings’ board of directors. The costs are covered by donations and grants – which is part of the reason why the continued support of Abbey Springs’ women is so vital to the work being done.
“The issues are important to them,” Schoenhoft said. “It’s a large group of women, and approximately 80% of those we serve (at New Beginnings) are girls and women.”
Sue Wendt, one of the women in charge of the fundraiser each year, said the golf league has always supported women’s charities. First it was Koman for the Cure (breast cancer), and then Tree House Child and Family Center when the group decided to keep the money local.
They then supported Open Arms Free Clinic through 2021 and the break that was occurring in a live event due to COVID-19.
Wendt said following that, the group went looking for another local charity, because there are so many.
“We researched New Beginnings, met with Suzi Schoenhoft and told her we would do our best to help their efforts by raising awareness as well as financial donations,” Wendt said.
Tools developed during the pandemic for virtual events – a trivia contest and weekly communications – were again used, and between that and the Charity Day event, $20,000 was raised in 2022 and $23,000 last year.
Suezy Golden has gotten involved and is taking the lead of Charity Day now, working to garner more donations from local businesses and individuals.
“This effort is near and dear, and the generous women of the Abbey Springs Golf League are kind, caring and giving,” Golden said. “Thrilled to know so many wonderful women to do good things.”
Schoenhoft, for her part, and that of the people New Beginnings serves, is equally grateful.
“We’re privileged to know this group of people,” she explained.
“To know them and work alongside of them to identify the impact we’ve made on them, and for them to value the work that we do,” Schoenhoft added.
“It makes it all worth it, really.”
In addition to the main location in Elkhorn, New Beginnings has offices in Whitewater and Jefferson.
For more information, to donate, or to request help, call 262-723-4653 or visit newbeginningswalworth.com.
