THE VILLAGES, Fla. — There’s a nonprofit in The Villages that’s run entirely by volunteers, and many of them lend a hand not because they have to. They just really want to be involved. Rich Salvini loves giving back. His efforts to help people by way of the Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club started about a decade ago, and he’s still lending a hand helping folks who want to practice their swing at the Bob Johnson Legacy Driving Range in Lady Lake.
“Well, I try to help in all aspects of the golf course itself. This is the area where we collect the balls and get them into the buckets and put them up to the counter to serve the customers. But it’s enjoyable as it keeps me busy and gives me a chance to talk with the customers on an everyday basis, and I enjoy that,” Rich Salvini said.
All of this is being done for a good cause, which is the Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club using the proceeds from the golf range to pour into scholarships throughout Central Florida.
“A lot of the reasons why the customers come here is the charity… they know it’s everything goes to charity, there’s not a penny here goes to anybody, there’s no paid employees,” Rich Salvini said.
The efforts of those volunteers are going a long way toward helping people like Amari Smith get scholarships for school. Amari says he is grateful to Rich and others who help out to make the scholarships happen.
“Mr. Rich actually was one that kind of poured into me and what I had going on and had some sort of connection with what I am doing. I’m a pre-law student and had that kind of interest between sports and wanting to be an attorney,” Amari Smith said.
The efforts to give back don’t stop at the golf course. Volunteers also raise money by way of bingo nights at North Lake Presbyterian Church.
“They like the hall, they like the seating and the technology goes around the room because if they can’t hear, they can look around and see it’s on a board and then once it’s called, you can see the big screen behind them,” Rich said.
All proceeds from the Friday night bingo games and the golf range go back into the community by way of scholarships, vision programs, youth initiatives, veteran support, and other charitable projects supported by the Orange Blossom Gardens Lions Club.
Rich says this keeps him going but at the same time helps people like Amari within the local community.
“At our age, we don’t want to sit around. We want to get out and do stuff and be active. But it’s rewarding, as simple as that. It’s very touching, a lot of satisfaction,” Rich said.
Amari Smith added, “Oh man, Rich is just a prime example of what you would want out of a citizen in the area. I mean, when you have people who really love their community and pour into it, it sets a great example for people, young people like me coming up and makes you want to just work hard to kind of be like him.”