DETROIT (WXYZ) — Midnight Golf Program has had a profound impact on youth in Metro Detroit. While they learn to golf, that is just an avenue to prepare them for college and life.
These young men and women had to compete against 2,000 student applicants to become one of 250 high school seniors selected for the annual Midnight Golf Program.
The program has impacted the lives of at least 5000 students since it began in 2001.
For many like Brandon Poplar it was life changing.
WXYZ’s Carolyn Clifford asked, “Would you say that you've overcome any challenges in the Midnight Golf Program?”
“In high school I was not on track to graduate, I ended my high school career with a 2.5 GPA, and I did not think I was going to make it to college,” said Alumni Brandon Poplar.
Brandon is now a Junior at Delaware State University.
“I did not think it was possible for a Black male from Pontiac, Michigan, to be able to go into corporate America to do big things to go into college and make something of it,” said Poplar.
Renee Fluker is the Founder and President of Midnight Golf. Her inspiration was her son Jason.
“He was the only African American on the golf team, he would come home and cry in the car like it's not fair, we're not members of a club, none of his friends played. I said just wait something good is going to come out of this,” said Renee Fluker, Midnight Golf Program Founder.
Jason begged his mom to develop a golf program, to open up the world of country clubs to kids who looked like him. She started recruiting at a Detroit housing project.
“Kids would push me off the porch, 'no lady I don't want to learn how to play those sticks,'” said Fluker.
Instead, she offered free pizza, and she got kids galore. Now, 23 years later, it's now a 30-week program teaching life skills and college readiness with mentors and PGA pros to teach golf. This year alone, they were awarded 150 college scholarships.
“Our goal is to get them in college and keep them there. A lot of kids will call home at the end of the year and say, 'Ms. Renee, I don't have enough money, I need to come home,'” said Fluker.
Today the program has adopted a new name: College, Career and Beyond, but Midnight Golf will always remain.
“We wanted to expand it out, to become College, Career and Beyond and when you use that, people can see we're putting them in college,” said Fluker.
Today in Southfield they held their 4th Annual Family Golf outing at Plum Hollow Country Club. It's to raise operational dollars including a $21,000 a month food budget. The impact is clear.
“I never knew Ms. Renee was someone that I needed in my life,” said Alumni Sydney Brown. “I can call Ms. Renee at any given time with anything, and I know she's there for me.”
About 5,000 kids have come through the program, and many have gone on to become doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, and involved in many more successful careers.
Now they are preparing to open a new 40,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art building in Detroit with golf simulators. It was donated, but a loan of $12 million for renovations must be paid back over 5 years. But when you hear Midnight Golf Alums, you know every penny donated is worth the sacrifice.
“I don't know where I would be at. I don't know what I would be doing without her without her program, without the support and the guidance and the love that I've gotten,” said Poplar.
“How does that make you feel?” asked Clifford.
“I cry every day, every day cause it's so touching that you can help people,” said Fluker.
The program helps 70% of their participants graduate college, four times the rate of their Detroit peers. Supporting the program will help provide guidance and resources to young people in the Detroit area, impacting their futures.
They need volunteer mentors and donations. Renee hopes to open their new building by year's end.
You can help by donating to Midnight Golf Association. You can also donate online or help fund a scholarshipat this link.
