As most of you know by now, I work in the golf clothing industry and I support my customers by buying their products and recommending them to others (because I believe they are the best they can buy). My wife and I recently took in a local kid that came from a rough upbringing and an unstable household that I met out at one of the local golf clubs trying to get a job. This kid was relentless letting the Pro know that he would do anything he wanted and really needed a job to help his family. I was just in line at the time waiting to get range balls when it struck me that this kid had a lot of determination and seemed like he had a good heart. The Pro told him that he couldn't do anything for him, so I told the kid I could use his work if he was willing to do some housework and yard work. The kid enthusiastically agreed and we struck up a friendship over the next couple of months.

I took him to the range with me when I went, because he was interested in learning the game. He has a natural swing and fell in love with the game right away. So, I provided him some of my backup sticks and told him that he could join me when I went out for some casual rounds and I wanted him to devote the same kind of determination to golf and his grades as he did work. For the last 2 months of school, he was able to raise his grades from a C student to a B+ student.

I had just bought a bunch of clothes from my customers to match my new post P90X workout body that were identical to the size this kid is...my wife convinced me that he needed the clothes more than me and that I couldn't take the kid to the course looking as ragged as he did in his old clothes. So, I go out and buy $1500 worth of new shirts, pants, golf shoes and belts for him to wear to the golf course along with golf balls I was able to get from work.

I go to pick him up yesterday for our first after work round in his new clothes and clubs and he comes out to the car in his old clothes and no clubs. I look at him and ask what is going on. He said his Mom and her boyfriend demanded they have the clothes and clubs and the boyfriend took them from him. They went to the local pawn shop and pawned it all and apparently went and got drugs with the money, although he want to tell me for sure because he is afraid I will turn them into the police. I told him I was going in to confront them and he said that the boyfriend had a pistol and that he belonged to a local gang. He said if I turned him into the police, my family would be "taken care of" by his gang friends.

So, I can't turn them into the police for fear of my family's safety. I did give him another set of clubs I have but am having them stored in a locker at my club. I guess I will have to do the same thing with buying him new clothes.

Absolutely unbelievable and has scared my wife to the core. Absolutely ridiculous when you try to do something nice....

That is awful, some people just plain suck and don't care about anyone but themselves.

That is truly a sad story. You are a very gracious man for giving so much to someone who is in a less fortunate position.

Unfortunately, his situation is one that you can't change, but you can influence him to become more than what is being shown to him by his mother. Support the young man and don't put him in a position where he is at risk... make sure and do the same for your own family.

I hope God blesses you for your generosity and kindness.

its amazing that there are pieces of sh*t like this.

makes it difficult to get your shi* together

thats just horrible. you are a very gracious man taking this boy in. i wish something could be done about that mother and boyfriend tho, they should see justice

I think, although I don't know, that your willingness to be kind and express an interest in him will ultimately mean more to him than the clothes. It may have provided him with a glimpse of human character that he otherwise would never know. That has great potential.

That sucks!!! I live in north east louisiana and this state is very poor as demonstrated by katrina. We have people like that all over the city i live in. I'm not talking about golf clubs but with everything. My wifes friend was a social worker and told us stories about things similar to this.

It's a shame that people don't care for there own children. And people wonder why we have inner city kids that don't get out and end up doing drugs, get in gangs and end up in prison. I wish we could take these people and put them in work camps, I know I may catch some flack for this statement.

This kid needs help, help emotionally. Keep at him and he will be better for it in the long run. Don't let these people take this kids future away from him.

Congrats on helping less fortunate, not that yo want to be thanked for it but you are the reason that America is the Land of the free and the home of the brave(not to take away from our veterans).

Try another perspective (its tough...I know...trust me...long story...but trust me)

That $1500 may have made the biggest difference in this kids life....this one single event may have showed him everything he needed to see in his life in regards to what is right....and what quite simply IS WRONG...completely WRONG.

This example may have etched in his brain what he WILL become in the future....his idea of what YOU are...and what he CAN become....and NOT what his family is. He may have needed to see and experience it first hand just like he did....and that etching may...and I hope WILL...burn in his mind forever.

You basically burned $1500......but what I think you wanted to accomplish in the short term...may have lasted much longer than $1500 worth of clothes could have accomplished.....if there is justice.....if there is karma and hope for a better life for him......this hopefully was the event he needed to experience that will change his life.

Only time will tell.....YOU did the right thing...and after that...it is out of your hands

If that boy friend showed up with a third eye I don't think anyone would blame you.

Thanks guys...my wife and I are very fortunate financially and we believe through our faith that we should help those less fortunate with opportunities...not giving a hand out, but showing them what hard work can do. My only worry after this was that the money I was giving him was getting taken by his mom. I ended up setting up a savings account for him yesterday and let me tell you that Bank of America was absolutely ridiculous trying to set up an account and not being his guardian. I decided to skip them and go to Wachovia and they got everything set up for and set him up with a debit card. I am keeping that at the club as well, so they can't get their hands on it. But, if he was giving them the money (which he swears he wasn't) and the funds all the sudden stop coming in and he is still working, I am afraid there could be some backlash from that as well. We'll see.

I was gonna say to try something like that, but you are way ahead of the game. I hope everything works out for this kid and his life doesn't get ruined by his family.

Tell his parents you will buy them all the drugs they want if they promise to o.d. and die.

Stay on him Chilidog...make a difference.

You're good man and wish there were more like you.

The sad part is so many kids like this one want to work and do the right thing but without someone like you they just get sucked into the cycle of destruction.

It amazes me what people will do to fuel their addiction, and drugs are the worst.

You've taken a lot of the right steps by offering him the same generosity while keeping it at your club/house away from the crack whore and gang punk. If he's a good kid, he'll understand and appreciate what you are doing. Eventually, he'll have to fend for himself and will need help getting out of that environment.

I would consider bringing in whatever state child protective services departments you have, or possibly a youth-in-need program. The best thing for a kid in a drug home like that is to get them removed and placed somewhere safe to complete their education. You can still maintain your friendship as a big brother/foster parent/volunteer and possibly continue to open him up to opportunities for networking and future employment.

You've given yourself a big commitment with this child. Congratulations on your dedication and generosity to him and good luck with helping him and his situation.

sounds like something out of a movie, you might have to go "gran torino" on their asses

Wow, I am going to vote for you for People top 100 difference makers.

You are a good man.

Wow... Pretty amazing of you to help this kid.

The garbage in this country needs to go. ALL of it. Don't care where you are from or what race you are, it ALL needs to go.

If all the parents (using that term loosely here) like this just "disappeared" tomorrow, the world would be a better place. MOST of these kids would be better off WITHOUT parents like this.

Major props to you.

Question: Do you pick him up at his house? If so, I would be careful from now on b/c if they are willing to pawn his stuff and carry a gun, they might come after you when you go there. Just looking out.

Gran Tarino? Don't do it, that ending would be what you WOULDN'T want.

You are a good man whose been blessed with a great heart and have been raised with good ol' fashion morals. Keep a watch on your own actions because you not may realize it, but this young man is at the age where he is thirsting for a mentor and right now there are only two candidates in front of him. You have opened a door of opportunity for him, I pray he has seen what his life can be and heads in the proper direction.

God Bless,

C-Dog

fine, taxi driver then, or man on fire, i was kidding anyway

I too would recommend you be very careful. What you are doing is good, and I know you have already been Blessed, but take care, people like this will do strange things and yes may harm you and your family. Do you remember the movie "In Cold Blood"? It's a true story about a nice farm family that was killed because they were nice.

Another thought, maybe a different approach would be better. Helping one out can be done in many ways. The savings account will grow if he was rewarded for every grade higher than a C. More than likely $1500 would more than pay for his 1st semester of college. It’s just a thought. But even then the money would have to be controlled; a debit card would allow him to easy spend it.

i thought stuff like this only happens in movies. royally sucks. sorry to hear.

Chili, you are a good good man. I am sorry to hear that scum like that are putting a snag in everything but it appears that you will find a way. Keep us updated as to how it is going and be careful yourself.

I think it's great that you are reaching out to help others. As others have advised, just be careful that you don't become a target of his family. These type of people are very opportunistic and know how to work "the system." Just be aware that the times you spend alone with the boy could be turned around and used against you by his family. In this day and age you could be very hurt even by an allegation made by these type of people. I hope you can understand the type of allegation that I am talking about. It's sad that society has come to the point that adult males are automatically suspect and there are almost no options to defend yourself against baseless allegations. You pretty much become guilty until proven innocent with this type of scenario. It is a very real concern if his family thinks that they could blackmail/extort money out of you if they think they can get away with it.

There are ways to help him without putting yourself and your family in any potential peril. I am very careful about not allowing even the perception of impropriety in my dealings with the youth at my church, the sports teams I coach, etc.

I wish you the best.

sorry to hear the story chili, but glad you have taken the boy under your wing.

i counsel teens at an inner city alternative school many of whom live in similar circumstances and it is never easy. please let us know how things work out.

ps: you could call your state's department of social services and file an anonymous "grievance". by law they would have to investigate...at least in my state they do. given the child's environment as you describe, they would in all likely hood take him out of the "home", however, that environment can be unsettling as well depending upon where he is placed. it's a difficult situation all the way around. many blessing on you.

Thanks for all the kind words guys. I really feel like anyone with a decent heart would do the same thing for this kid. He really is a good kid and it amazes me that he has such grit and determination in everything he does looking at his Mom.

To answer the person that asked the question above...no, I do not pick him up at his house. The bus takes him to my house during the school year and I drop him at the front of his apartment complex. During the summer, he rides his bike to my house (about 5 miles) and back.

Nothing really new has happened. Everything is still going well and I am not ruffling any feathers. I did tell him to tell his mother that I appreciate his hard work. He said she really appreciated that and felt proud of him. I'll keep everyone updated though.

As a side note, I think I am going to take all of the L and XL shirts from my closet that rarely get worn since my post P90X days and sell them to fund part of the money to go into his account. Don't know if I am going to do it yet, but if so, I'll list them here first. Just an FYI.

Thanks guys!

Pretty soon that young man needs to move out. Far be it for me to give advice, you are a better man than I...but a kid with that much on the ball needs to get out on his own ASAP, and keep on going.

A full time job on a greens keeping crew pays enough to just get by...maybe he'll take up agronomy, botany, biology, architecture, landscape architecture, restaurant or club management...who knows.

I'm pulling for you and the young achiever.

Keep up the good work! - you are a better man than most. I am 100% sure that your time and kindness means more to him than the $1500 worth of clothes and equipment. Hopefully one and one day he will prosper in life and grow up to be a giving person like yourself.

All the best with whats going on.

You sir are a good human. Money's money but the fact you may make the biggest difference in this kids life is the special thing here.

+1 to that. Yes while there are many kids who only want the easy way out there are a lot of others that are willing to work for it if given the opportunity.

Props to Chilidog for making a difference, and to the young man for not following his mothers example and trying to do things the right way.

+2
Money or not, the kid you are helping is learning good morals, and will be better off because of you!