Saint Charles Mo

TGA Premier Junior Golf franchise acquired in St. Louis, Missouri

SAINT CHARLES, Mo. -- TGA Premier Junior Golf, one of the leading initiatives to grow the game of golf and the only national after-school enrichment junior golf program in the country, continues to expand in the Midwest with a new territory, located in St. Charles County, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Valeria Williams, Shirley Colvard, and Ivan Mickens have come together as partners in this new venture, which will impact the schools and golf courses of St. Charles County.

"TGA is concentrating some of our expansion efforts in the Midwest as we see the potential to impact golf in a major way there. It is encouraging that a highly professional team, with a passion for golf, community and youth will impact St. Charles County," said Joshua Jacobs, founder and CEO of TGA Premier Junior Golf. "We have every confidence through their experience, TGA will make golf accessible and affordable for students and parents in St. Charles County, by bringing it directly to the schools through our five-level education based programs."

TGA is one of the country's fastest growing recreational programs for kids and has rapidly becoming a golden franchise opportunity for self starters who enjoy working with children in a business venture that provides a unique entry into youth sports, education, and the golf industry.

Williams and her team, who have all had professional careers in the St. Louis area for over ten years, were looking for a home-based business that they could partner on when they discovered the TGA opportunity, which Entrepreneur Magazine recently recognized as one of the "Top 10 Franchise Deals in the World".

Williams, who will act as the CEO for the local franchise, spent 25-years in the manufacturing business during which time she developed a passion for the game of golf and is now very excited to be able to share that passion with the youth of St. Louis.

"I developed a passion for golf while often participating in company team building events and grew to really enjoy the game and the life values you learn from golfing with others", said Williams. "Through TGA, I can now transfer my love of the game and its life values to new generations of children. I am looking forward to the opportunity to making the game of golf a permanent part of their lives."

Ivan Mickens, who spent 11-years in the Washington DC school system, sees the TGA program as a way to keep kids active in sports and also out of trouble during the key after school hours. "I love being active in sports and golf and now this gives me the opportunity to pass on my love for the game to the youth of St. Charles County and provide them with a fun learning opportunity that keeps them active after school.

The Reggae Won't Stop At New Town - St. Charles, MO Patch

The New Town at St. Charles will be jammin' this weekend when Non Stop Reggae returns for its annual reggae concert at the community's amphitheater.

The free concert begins at 7 p.m. Saturday. Visitors should bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating. Coolers are allowed, and local businesses will have food and drinks available for purchase. 

You might not think that New Town, with its pastel-painted homes and perfect urban design, would be a hotbed for reggae fans. But you'd be wrong.

"The reggae concert is unabashedly our No. 1 event," said Richard Kennison, entertainment director for New Town. "I look forward to all our musical events, but I really look forward to Reggae."

This is the fifth year for the event. "We have all kinds of music festivals here," Kennison said. "We added reggae because I love reggae music."

Kennison brought in St. Louis-based Non Stop Reggae for that first show, and the band has been coming back ever since. The band takes its name quite literally.

"They'll play from 7 to 10 nonstop," Kennison said. "It's kind of amazing to watch. The music never stops. They have a large following."

What brings them back every year? 

"The excitement of the venue," said Jody Carter of Non Stop Reggae. "New Town is a special community. It has its own character. They just love us, they're very enthusiastic. We're encouraged by it. We get a good reception every year." 

Non Stop Reggae formed in 1998. Carter said the band will bring in eight to 12 performers, including four lead singers as well as dancers from the Caribbean, for the New Town show.

"It's just a nice event," Kennison said.

Reggae developed from other musical styles in Jamaica in the 1960s. Its best known performer is the late Bob Marley.

"It's a spiritual music that people really respond to," Kennison said.

"Reggae is upbeat. It's about love. It always gets a good response," Carter said.

Kennison anticipates 5,000 people could show up Saturday night for the concert, if the weather cooperates. "It's grown every year," he said. "We've come close, but we've not hit 5,000 yet."

The show is not just popular with the locals, "People come from all over. It's probably the most attended show by people who are not residents of New Town," Kennison said.

The Reggae concert isn't the only thing going on in New Town this weekend. A sand volleyball tournament--Stop Your WINEing and Serve Volleyball Tournament sponsored by the Domain Street Wine Bar--will take place earlier in the day at the volleyball court near the amphitheater.

St. Charles, Missouri bicentennial celebration, August 15 through August 23, 1969, history and program

Revised ordinances of the city of St. Charles, Missouri, the gneral ordinances of the city

The revised ordinances of the city of St. Charles, Missouri, 1952, general ordinances of the city enacted as a whole, October 21, 1952 : effective, October 31, 1952

St Charles County, Missouri, Wentzville, Missouri, Saint Charles, Missouri, Foristell, Missouri, Portage Des Sioux, Missouri, New Melle

United States official postal guide