May 9, 2008

SCSDB News                                             

South Carolina School for the Deaf and the Blind

  A Palmetto Gold School                                                    For Immediate Release

 Media contacts:

 Sharon Goolsby, Public Information Office: (864) 577-7505

sgoolsby@scsdb.org

 

SPARTANBURG – An invitation to participate in a golf clinic taught in sign language and led by former touring professional player Rob Strano, has students at the SC School for the Deaf and the Blind (SCSDB) pretty excited.

            The clinic will be held in conjunction with the BMW Charity Pro-Am on Tuesday, May 13 at the Greenville Country Club (morning) and the Thornblade Club in Greer (early afternoon).

            Three professional golfers will be on hand for the clinic including Kevin Hall, who is the first deaf golfer to play in a PGA tournament.

            “This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to be a part of the exciting golf event and to interact with and learn golf techniques right from the professionals,” said Elaine Sveen, SCSDB’s coordinator of the event.

             Strano, the lead instructor for the United States Deaf Golf Camps, conducts camps nationwide in American Sign Language for youngsters who are deaf or hard of hearing.  His professional touring career began in 1988 and included competition on the PGA, Nationwide and NGA Tours, winning five professional victories. 

            "We are so grateful to Mr. Strano and the BMW Tournament for providing this opportunity for our kids, said Heather Patchett executive director of the Walker Foundation.  “I hope that this will be the beginning of a lifetime of enjoyment on the golf course for these children." 

            The Walker Foundation is a charitable beneficiary of the 2008 BMW Pro-Am.  The foundation is the fund-raising arm for SCSDB.

The SC Department of Education named SCSDB a Palmetto Gold School for its academic accomplishments and a Red Carpet School for its outstanding customer service.  SCSDB is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf and the SC Department of Education.  SCSDB offers programs for preschool, elementary, middle school, high school, sensory multidisabled, vocational and postsecondary education students, as well as a variety of outreach services through regional centers located throughout the state. The main campus is located in Spartanburg. The school’s web site address is www.scsdb.org and its toll-free telephone number is 1-888-447-2732.

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