After over a decade and a half of collecting, cleaning, and selling used golf balls, Marylou Gollert has contributed over $110,000 to My Friend’s House
COLLINGWOOD – At the annual Squire John’s Tent Sale over the Canada Day weekend, Marylou Gollert — fondly known locally as the Golf Ball Lady — raised $14,000.
What started over 16 years ago as a way to spend some of her time in retirement has evolved into an ongoing fundraising endeavour that has brought in more than $110,000 for My Friend’s House, a Collingwood-based women’s shelter.
“I think I started the first year for about $1,000 and every year that grows…. We took up, this year, 20,000 balls to sell and probably took back about 5,000. But every year it’s grown and grown,” she says.
The basic premise is Gollard collects reclaimed golf balls, either on her own or from donors, and sells them to donate the full sale price to My Friend’s House.
The first large donation, from someone who worked at Monterra Golf, was about 10,000 balls.
“I couldn’t believe how many balls he brought, it was amazing,” she recalls.
Suddenly, more golf clubs wished to participate. Now they purchase used balls from her and resell them in a bin at their locations.
At 82 years old, she says she has the stamina to keep going and doesn’t plan to stop any time soon. It’s the community’s enthusiasm and their contributions that motivate her.
“I wouldn’t be motivated without those people and the people that bring the balls,” she says.
Robert Collins donated 2,000 balls this year for the tent sale, where Squire John provides the tent space.
Volunteers work in three shifts over the weekend.
“It’s cute,” Gollert says, how thrilled they are to see the funds gathered at each shift, or to compare the amounts raised to previous years.
The story, for her, is that the support from the community continues to grow. She says she sees the evidence of the impacts within the community.
As a retired school principal, she was influenced by a conversation with a social worker.
A high school kid, excellent in mathematics, lived at the shelter with his mom. They could not afford the scientific calculator the school suggested they purchase so he dropped the course.
“The Education Act says the school is supposed to provide everything they need for the children…. So I asked the social worker, what does a mother do if she’s there with her kids and she doesn’t have any money,” she recounts.
Gollert learned that places like My Friend’s House can provide clothing, shelter, and food, but government funds cannot be spent on other commodities. Her heart felt deeply for the kids. Since then, she makes an effort to contribute to the Children’s Fund.
“It’s very significant. We’re incredibly grateful for it, because it helps the children that are staying with us move on to brighter and better days,” says Ciara O’Connell, events and community relations manager at My Friend’s House.
Programs and services include YMCA passes, summer camps, and after-school care. Counselling is another service provided to youth at the shelter.
“That’s a big component, because a lot of the children that are staying with us have been through such traumatic experiences that we have a child worker that deals with the counselling side and the issues that come about from leaving an abusive situation,” says O’Connell.
It surprised Gollert when she and her daughter made a Facebook Marketplace post for “Crappy Golf Balls,” and the 150 balls she thought were headed to the trash sold for $35.
She explains that people use them for practice or to introduce their kids to the sport.
Every small amount adds up with fewer golf balls going in the garbage.
After a decade and a half, and through expanding operations, the next question Gollert asks is about the longevity of the project and increasing awareness.
“I was worried when we were getting rid of so many balls that I wouldn’t be able to keep it going,” she says, calling attention to the donors who provide thousands of balls at a time.
The community has always pulled together and Gollert says she lives in the present. She hopes to see others interested in the work and its cause.
“I started thinking, if this got publicized, people would get the idea and do the same thing,” she says, considering other communities and possibly adding more pick-up locations to her website.
The beauty of it, she mentions, is there is no monetary cost because the product is free and the profits go to the local charity.
If others do wish to begin similar operations there are some key factors to consider. The storage space is one of them.
“In order to make that kind of money I need at least 15,000 golf balls a year,” Gollert says.
“I could help them with how to do it. … Although the website says ‘golf ball lady,’ anybody could be a golf ball lady. I mean it could be guys, you know.”
There are several ways to contribute to Gollert’s campaign include donating golf balls, egg cartons for sorting, purchasing from her website or at the annual tent sale. Other ways to help are by spreading awareness and volunteering the time to collect, wash and sort the golf balls.
High school students, wishing to complete community service hours, could help her sort the balls. Which she says has become a little bit more difficult as her eyesight worsens with age.
Recently, My Friend’s House thanked a list of dedicated volunteers supporting Gollert’s efforts to sell reclaimed golf balls. The gratitude list included:
Pierre Tousignant, a dedicated Blue Mountain resident, who actively collects golf ball donations through garage sales and fellow golfers.
Longstanding contributions from the members and staff of Osler Brook Golf and Country Club, coordinated by The Hambley’s.
Passionate golfers and “ball hunters” from near and far—including Bill Goodwin (The Georgian Bay Club), Robert Collins and Ross Lawton (Monterra Golf Course), Kelly Strome (Kitchener- Waterloo), John Mocha and Bill Donegan (Toronto), and Jill Hardy (Grimsby)—who have collectively delivered thousands of golf balls over the years.
Terry Schmidt, along with other Cranberry golfers and neighbours, who continue to donate and purchase golf balls regularly.
Numerous kind-hearted individuals, who reached out to “The Golf Ball Lady,” Marylou Gollert, to coordinate donations of golf balls.
Interested donors are encouraged to call Marylou at 705-994-6338, she accepts any make and all conditions, every amount goes toward helping someone in need.