Discouraged by Vandalism

Recently our course was redesigned and as such needed new signage. A friend of mine and I spent many hours working on them (me sketching the hole layouts and her converting it to an illustrator file). We also did a map of the course to go on the two kiosks at the start of each nine. They really looked amazing in the end. That was early this summer.

I just played the two course two weeks ago to discover that the plexy glass over the course maps has been shattered on one and chipped badly from a blow on the other. The first tee sign also has chips in it from repeated blows. To top it all off, someone spit chewing tobacco on the raw sign after breaking the glass. The kiosks are filling up with vulgar graffiti as well.

I was one of the co founders of our local disc golf club and am acting president. I have been operating under the mission of being a positive force in our local scene in the community and on the course. I am often encouraging the grounds-keeper/course designer who built the course nearly all by himself initially to not be discouraged and not give up...that we will continue to counter the bad element on the course with positive action. I've tried to encourage him along the way...even when two baskets were stolen and even when an amazing message board/sheltered bench he built himself was partially burned down because it was next to a garbage that someone started on fire.

Well now I see where he's coming from a bit more when I see my own project maliciously damaged/defaced. I'm usually up-beat, but this one is really bothering me. A few days ago I was tempted to say, "I'm done as a disc golf volunteer/ambassador in our community." I'm not in that place anymore, but I could appreciate encouragement myself at this point and hoped I might find it here among so many others that volunteer their time and efforts to make the sport they love better for others.

Has this happened elsewhere? Any ideas on how to stop it and raise the bar of accountability and stewardship?

[Marty Wollner]

I will match your $50, so now its $100.

marty

[Ben Calhoun]

Thanks Marty. I doubt they'll ever be found. At least replacing the chains alone shouldn't be too expensive, and the school may do it if they are willing to invest any money at all in letting us fix it up.

[Tim Kieffer]

Hi Brandon,

The signs look great, nice job!

Unfortunately, sometimes we make progress through two steps forward then one back. Its easy sometimes to let the 'one back' discourage you if you let it. But I can say that I have seen some great strides in Fond Du Lac disc golf over the past two years (i.e the two steps forward), and much of it is due to your efforts! Progress is being made.

As for how you address the issue, leagues and educating as many people as you can through leagues on how local disc golfers, not the parkies, put in the efforts for maintenance and improvement helps out. Maintaining a club so there is a base of like minded people who can help spread the word about keeping the park nice goes a long way. A group who can watch for people who need some reminding that the vandalism. litter and so on is damaging the environment for all players who enjoy the course, even them. And raising concerns so the like minded community can be a bit more vigilant and help find and correct the troublesome areas.

Two steps forward, one back. Sorry about the signs, but you are doing great! Look forward to having you out by my place again!

Tim Kieffer

[Josh McDowell]

Thats pretty lame, that punks have to mess with your signs. We put wind gauge flags on our baskets in Hillsdale, and only two days later #9's (closest to the parking lot) was broken. Myself and my friend Amelia filled in all 9 tee boxes, by hand, with new dirt, and they all got destroyed. Even for a small town, small park with a small course, we get vandals too. There was a group of such knuckleheaded skullduggery commiting hooligans that hung around at our park,they graffitti'd all the benches, pavilions and tee signs, tried to steal a basket, and threw a tee sign and its concrete base in the lake.. They'd also hang out around their handy work, trunks of cars wide open, banging horrible music so loud ya'll could probly hear it in A.A., and we finally had enough. Two of us, 6 of them. We expelled them from the park that day, cleaned up their mess (litter, glass bottles and disease ridden women) and we havent seen them since. Keep up the good work, good sir, and I assure you that sooner or later your efforts WILL pay off. If not, i know a buddy of mine that'd be more than willing to come help me dispell of your "friends" :)