The VetsConnection Podcast

Ep. 42 - Supporting Veterans with Every Swing. Josh Sears, Co-Founder of 100Fore22 Discusses How his Foundation Was Created And The Amazing Way They Raise Money For Veterans And Veteran Foundations

• Scott McLean • Episode 43

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Joshua Sears' transformation to a prominent advocate for veterans is nothing short of inspiring. This episode takes us through his remarkable journey, highlighting his military career as an 11 Bravo in the Army and his experiences with the 187th Infantry Regiment in Iraq. Joshua's transition from active service to founding the non-profit 100Fore22 showcases his dedication to supporting fellow veterans, rooted in personal growth and a commitment to give back. His story is a testament to resilience and the power of purpose-driven change.

Listeners will be captivated by Joshua's innovative approach to fundraising, particularly the "100 Holes for the 22" golf marathon. This unique event pushes participants to their physical limits in an effort to raise funds for veterans and first responders. Joshua shares the challenges of orchestrating such events, from securing sponsorships to managing logistics, and underscores the heartfelt impact these efforts have on treatment facilities. The camaraderie and determination of the golfers involved reveal a shared mission that transcends the sport, fostering community and awareness across the country.

As we explore the expansion of these endurance golf events, the conversation highlights the potential of recruiting young golfers to sustain this mission. Joshua's vision extends beyond individual events, aiming to engage communities nationwide and amplify support for veterans and first responders. This episode serves as a call to action for listeners to get involved, offering insights into the grassroots nature of the foundation and the meaningful connections forged through these charitable endeavors. Joshua's journey and the collective spirit of those involved in 100Fore22 inspire us to support and uplift the heroes among us.

Scott McLean:

Welcome to the podcast. I'm Scott McLean. My guest today is Joshua Sears. Josh is the founder and president of 10422. Now that's the number 100, the word for F-O-R-E and the number 22. So if you're a golf fan, I think you know where this is going, how you doing Josh. I'm good how you doing. I'm doing good, I'm good. Thanks for coming on the podcast.

Josh Sears:

I appreciate you having me.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, man. By the way, this podcast is sponsored by Willow and Palm Construction. Willow and Palm Construction, located in Delray Beach, Florida. Willow and Palm Construction South Florida's premier builder. From driveways to roofs to buildings If you need it, Willow and Palm can do it. You to roofs to buildings If you need it, Willow and Palm can do it. You can find them at willowandpalmcom. That's my live read. They're really good to my foundation and my podcast.

Josh Sears:

Nice.

Scott McLean:

I'll give them a plug anytime they want. They're very good. They're very active in the veteran space. Awesome, just great people, just great people. So they're the only sponsor I have on this podcast.

Josh Sears:

I've had other people want to come in, like nah, nah, I'm not sharing that space with anybody right, yeah, no, I don't blame you so all right, let's get down to it.

Scott McLean:

Where are you located right now?

Josh Sears:

uh, currently in edmond oklahoma.

Scott McLean:

There you go people see we're reaching oklahoma. I should get one of those, one of those maps, and just stop putting pins right now, because I've illinois, la chicago, now oklahoma. So yeah, that was my boston accent, I just caught that one. So oklahoma yeah it's. I say, I don't pronounce my odds when I say car, but I'll put it at the end of oklahoma, right what does that make sense?

Josh Sears:

I'd say like that, people like where are you from?

Scott McLean:

I'm not here. All right, I gotta ask you. So what's today's date? Today's the 6th february 6th, what's? What's the weather out there in Oklahoma on February 6th?

Josh Sears:

Right now it's 38, like a little drizzle. They're calling for rain overnight and then Monday through Wednesday we're supposed to have scattered snowstorms or snow showers.

Scott McLean:

Okay, all right, I can deal with 36. I can deal with it. I don't mind the rain.

Josh Sears:

It's just when that wind chill starts kicking in. When that wind kicks in, oh it's miserable. But they say, if you can golf in oklahoma, you can golf anywhere, because a typical day in oklahoma is like 15 mile an hour winds year round.

Scott McLean:

So really so. It's like when I was stationed in the philippines I didn't realize. I got there in december and you know I get out finally. I get out on on post. I got through all my in processing and my training with my dog and in canine handlers and the Philippines only go out at night and you'd get dropped off on this in the middle of nowhere, like you had post limitations, your kilo 47 and this is your post limitations, and in the morning you better be on the hard service because we would patrol the bush right all around that whole area and you got to be on the hard surface, get picked up. You better be there that that pickup truck just keeps going right and I get on the. I get on the the the first night, the next morning and I get on and all these dudes are all. I got there in december and they're all like they're bundled up and they got knit caps on. I'm like, are you crazy? Like what is that all about? Right? And they're like it's freezing out.

Scott McLean:

I'm like whoa, whoa, whoa, you'll see, you'll see, oh yeah, and what it is is it's an island and it's a steady breeze. There's just a constant steady breeze that will chip away at you throughout the night, and the longer you're there, the thinner your blood gets, and by that time I have my jacket on about six months later. That's my story about the steady breeze. All right, so tell us where you're from originally and when you went in what branch you went in there.

Josh Sears:

So, originally born and raised in Rhode Island, joined the army right after high school. I went to basic in November of 01. I was a little bit of a bad kid so I was on probation through the state until November. Then I went in the army as 11 Bravo, which you know. I went from being a bad kid to obviously a better person in society than what I was as a delinquent high schooler. So after, after basic and stuff, I went stationed at Fort Campbell, had three combat deployments from there, all all with the 187th Infantry Regiment, all to Iraq.

Josh Sears:

The invasion in 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 09. Then went to Fort Bliss, deployed again there for another year from 09, 10. So I stayed safe for like seven months. The wife hated it. Came back from that, went to Fort Jackson as a rappel instructor, was medically reclassed because of my heron from the infantry to a quartermaster branch. I went to Hawaii, fort Drum, new York, south Korea, and then served my last three and a half years before I retired at Fort Dix, and that's where the planning and the fruition of 100 for 22 started. And then, post-retirement, it became what it is now a 501c3 recognized by both state and federal governments as a registered 501c3 non-profit.

Scott McLean:

So you said of all fort dix, I was part of the first security police, air force security police canine class that went to air base ground defense training and this is back in 88, right, no 87, so it was like november 87 and we had to do it with security specialists. Now it's all different security specialists, now it's all different Security forces is all.

Scott McLean:

it's all been rearranged and and but back in the day. So we go to Fort Dix and we have army instructors that have to train air force people. That that was a. It was an interesting combination, right, yeah, right, because they couldn't really do to us what they did because we'd already graduated basic training. We've already graduated tech school, so they can't really beat us up, right, but they had their ways, right. These instructors and I don't know, they took us out in those cattle cars right on four ticks. And you're laughing, so for the listeners josh is cracking because he knows exactly what I'm talking about. We go out in these cattle cars and we drive for like 40 minutes and we get out. Like you can't really see out, though, if you get a window stand, because no one sits.

Josh Sears:

Yeah.

Scott McLean:

It's literally like a cattle car. So, we get out and we're like in the middle of the forest and there's I'm just going, just gonna say it this fucking sand out there, like, like, like you're at a beach and the water just went home, like it went away, and I was like, where did this sand come from? This is a forest and I knew, from that point on, this was going to be a very interesting experience, and it was.

Scott McLean:

but I loved it though in the end I loved it. You know it was a great, great training, and so that's now my fourth dick story. It was and it was freezing there it was cold.

Josh Sears:

I stole the whole, thing, yeah, yeah yeah, so, so four ticks.

Scott McLean:

And so when you were, when you were over, was there anything like any situations you got into that? You want to talk about interesting situations man.

Josh Sears:

It was just like any anybody that's deployed, and especially in a combat mrs, or one that's always outside of the wire. Your head's always on a swivel. You never know where it's going to come from. You never know where what's going to blow up. Is it going to be like one of them, donkeys just laying on the side of the road, or a dog or a pile of trash and then they started using those RKG3 hand grenades. So you throw it up in the air and it comes down. It's like a parachute with a cone charge that just hits the top of your Humvee and like blows the metal down and then sends a charge like all these, like ball bearings and different types of debris, like throughout the inside. And that's how we lost a couple buddies that way in Mosul, in Beji.

Josh Sears:

Now, mosul was the next deployment, but in Beji they just they hide in the crowds of women and children and then just throw it and it was bad. You know then different gun battles and just all kinds of, but on the flip side, you kind of find ways to cope and then you come up with ways to beat the hot sun. And remember those stand up like a D free coolers that you know, probably about four feet tall, you can really sit down inside of there. We fill that with water and ice a lot and just cutting those after 120 degree days and yeah, see who can take the longest yeah, those they're now.

Josh Sears:

They have a name now they call them cold dips, like yes yours wasn't for exercising yours wasn't after a good workout, yours was just to stay cool, yeah yeah it was, it was to stay warm or stay cool, and yeah, like, and then you start getting mad at your buddies because like, hey, bro, get out, I'm hot.

Scott McLean:

Yeah and so you did your time over there and any, uh, well, I just put any after effects if.

Josh Sears:

if you know what I mean, oh yeah, good, that knows PTSD and TBI.

Josh Sears:

I've went through dark places, suicide ideation, several times, just alcoholism, and just went through the dark times after all that. And you know the stigma that you know asking for help or seeking help, you know, takes you out of the fight and you let your buddies down, you let your teammates down and you know which is a bullshit stigma, Like it shouldn't even be, like that, you know, but you're made to feel that way inadvertently and you don't want to like, you never want to let your friends down, you never want to let your buddies down, your battle buddies, so you just no, I'm good, I'm good. And then the self-medicated with alcohol, and you know, then it started getting in your head but I finally broke and went, seen the counselors and stuff and got on a good path. And then here we are now, or here I am now, with my team advocating and doing what we can, our part, to help vets and first responders get out of that and get to the treatment and help they need.

Scott McLean:

So you mentioned that the basically the seed it's from what I gathered, the seed of 100 for 22 was planted while you were at Fort Dix. I think you mentioned like that's where it's where they like the idea, so so walk us through that mentioned like that's where, it's where, like the idea, so, so walk us through that.

Josh Sears:

So we started under another name that it was like four of us, all friends and our families.

Scott McLean:

What year was this? I'm sorry, just what year was this we?

Josh Sears:

started. 20 2019 is when you started thinking about it. That's when we started thinking about it and we threw a, you know event together in 20 2019. It was my buddy did the first one and we were under we used a different name at the time 100 holes for the 22, and he did it out here in oklahoma. And then you know, like you know what that's, you know he raised some good money for a good, a little bit of money at a very short time.

Scott McLean:

You know, for some first responders, what was the concept of it Like when he first did it? Because everything goes through, you know, like evolution, right, it starts, it changes. What was the original plan? What was the original fundraiser or the original event that really like that?

Josh Sears:

he did, that started this in the direction just walk and play a hundred holes of golf in one day a hundred holes ago.

Scott McLean:

So what is the? How does the fundraising aspect of it play into that?

Josh Sears:

so fundraising aspect is you know we take donations for any amount of money somebody wants to do dollar two, dollars, five, for number of holes completed. How many birdies we can make, you know, over the cost of the event, how many eagles then we have. You know sponsorship packages that you know vary in different amounts and you can buy, you know, like a whole sign, for you know yourself, if you're a veteran first responder, somebody that you know that says probably serving or probably served, or that person is no longer with us, you know in memory of. You know it puts their rank, their name, whether it's military branch, you know that branch. Or if it's a first responder, you know please fire EMS and then, if they can provide, you know their logo, we put the logo or the patch for said unit on the sign as well. And then you know we sell those. And then the good thing with those signs is those people that purchase them. They post completion of the event. If they want them, we'll send it back to them. We'll send it to them so they can have it.

Josh Sears:

Like I said, we have sponsorship packages ranging in different, various amounts, just straight-out donations. You know you don't have to make a pledge like, hey, I'll give you this much money for this or that. Like, if you just want to make a flat donation, you know that's accepted as well, and every all proceeds go to our veterans and first responders to get them into different treatment facilities or whether it's inpatient or outpatient care, and we link up with other organizations that handle that care to help fund those. Or if it's just like, hey, there's really no organization around me that can do it, but I have this therapist and we'll have that conversation with the therapist, see if we can work something out. But all the proceeds go to helping them and getting them back to you know, the person that they know they can be, their families know they can be and make sure they stay with us okay, so back to the original event.

Scott McLean:

So a hundred holes of golf got your sponsors and your donation did all that leg work, which isn't easy. I don't know if you know there's a lot of people. I didn't really get the non-profit world till I became part of it. That it's, that's, that's the work. Yeah, that is the work is getting the donation, getting the sponsors. So you guys hustle, you get your sponsors. You don't really know what to expect right going into it.

Josh Sears:

And so this one was at a golf course in oklahoma yep, the first one was done at a hidden trails country club in oklahoma city. Okay, he did it and did, walked 100 holes in about 11 hours, took about 11 hours to walk and play 100 holes. And we, you know, we, we play and we hole out. So you're going to either score a three on a hole or you can score a 12. Either way, like, every stroke counts. So we don't just pick up after par, like no, we keep going until we hole out. So you lose a ball, drop and count your stroke and keep going. We try not to, because that's a lot of golf balls.

Scott McLean:

But so let me ask you this at any point so there's any golf sponsors, any golf ball sponsors?

Josh Sears:

oh, I'm gonna let you talk all about that, so he did that at any point when you guys are doing this.

Scott McLean:

at the beginning, did you ever wish damn, we should have named it 50 holes for 22. Like what were we thinking? A hundred holes? Like couldn't it have been 50?

Josh Sears:

Why did you have to say a hundred?

Scott McLean:

Right.

Josh Sears:

It crossed our mind a couple of times, like who was the genius that came up with a hundred holes. But you know we're glad we did it. You know we joke around about it. But you know we do 100 plus. So it's, that's great. It's especially getting towards the end. After like I'm on hold 90, you're kind of like I'm tired but then you think like you know yeah, yeah, you know. So you get tight like damn I'm tired, but then you think well.

Scott McLean:

So let me ask you this is it the four of you that do it, or is it one one of you? Okay, it's your turn to go do this. Or do the four of you do it, or two at a time? Like, how does that work?

Josh Sears:

it. We all, four of us do it. We just had our third event this past november in north carolina. There was actually five of us. One of them was a 73 year old army vet and he was out there every, every step of the way with us that's an endurance challenge in in reality it really is.

Scott McLean:

I mean, it's just golf, that's an endurance event. Yeah, there's a lot more that goes to walking, there's the swinging, and that's got to take its toll after a while oh yeah, you, you get.

Josh Sears:

Uh, you're like for me. I have a lot of back issues from you know, the postcard that the recruiters didn't give you so yeah a lot of back issues. So as you're swinging and making all those you know twists and turns, you're kind of like put more pressure on the back and they're just like, oh, and then when he's trying to like not do it so much, it doesn't, the ball doesn't go where he wanted to go and you just as it gets out of shape it makes it longer, yeah, but it's so well, you know, we have our mission, we know what we want to do and we we're going to complete it, we're going to accomplish it.

Scott McLean:

We're going to accomplish it, right? Okay, you do the first event and successful Anything that you've done. You did a hundred holes. That's that's successful. Yes, everything else after that was like this is gravy. We did it, right. So there's a, there's a couple of accomplishments going on at the same time, right? So, okay, you're done and you know, yeah, this was great. Wow, wow, wow. At what point did you say we? We're gonna like, let's, let's go a full boat with this thing, like, let's start, let's start really gearing up on this yeah.

Josh Sears:

So that kind of happened after the first one we did as a team, because the first one that was done was just the one guy, yeah, here in oklahoma. And that's when we, you know, we're talking like, well, how about we make this a team thing and we all do it range, okay. So then we did our first event as a team at fort dix, new jersey, at fountain green golf course. God forsaken place for second place. We did that one in 2019 at fort dix. You know it's that course, is not. There's not a lot of elevation, it's a generally flat course.

Josh Sears:

So you know, the four of us did it. At first we started out, first person goes and then, once he gets down to you know, once he gets out of the range of you know, the next guy to tee off and the next guys. But then we ended up finishing together and actually, like the second half of the round hole 60, all four of us just kind of teamed up, gathered up and played all together. You know, each one hitting their own ball, playing their own ball. So we all finished 100 holes together. We did that one in like just right at 10 hours and we felt good. You know, we started. It was pouring rain for like the first 45 minutes and, like you know what, we're just going to go. It's either going to rain all day or it's not, you know, and it only rained for about 45 minutes. But you know, we did that, finished that one, and then that night we were talking like let's do another one, we can make this, let's make this ours. So then, a year later, we did another one in 2020 at TPC Yasna Palana in Princeton, new Jersey. That one was brutal because that's 2,700 feet elevation change for every 18 holes. So 100 holes is five complete rounds plus 10 additional holes and with that much elevation change it was I know I was hurting. You know a couple other guys like they were like oh I'm done, like legs are just tired going up and down all the hills and up in you know Princeton. But once you get to the last, the last hole, the 18th hole, and you make that final putt, it was just like a huge sigh of relief. Like we did it, we're done. That one took us about 13 hours and it was just like we're done and you know we've.

Josh Sears:

We raised good, good amount of money again in a short period of time because you know I was still active duty. The other guys that did it with us, one was active duty Air Force, the other one is a retired Marine but works for the sheriff's time job and the other guy had his full-time job out here in Oklahoma. So trying to do everything after duty, after what would be considered duty hours, is really hard. And then you start sending emails and trying to make calls during work but also do your job without foregoing and so, like you know, it's like you said, it's hard. Nonprofit world it's a lot goes into everything.

Josh Sears:

So in a very short time that you know we did those two events. We raised some good monies. For the one at Fort Dix, we donated just about $3,000 to a nonprofit called Veterans for Life USA Awesome foundation that really takes care of and gets those vets and first responders to intake treatment facilities. If they're, you know, they're down and out and that's like the last choice is really not the greatest outcome. And veterans for life does a great job getting those, those folks into treatment facilities and they the stories that come out of them and just listen. I'm like man. Thank you so much for helping them. And you know like you see them from day one when they go in and then the first day they get done it's just like a complete different person. They look different, they look much better, full of life and just super motivated.

Josh Sears:

And then the one in Princeton we donated I think it was like right around $2,600, went to Tunnels, to Towers, to provide some vets with smart homes, especially those that have medical devices such as wheelchairs or other devices that make it difficult to navigate a traditional home. So they did. You know one of their reps came down and watched us, for you know, one of their reps came down and watched us for, you know two hours and was just blown away. Like how do you guys do this? Like I can't believe it.

Josh Sears:

And then this past November was our third event as a team in Shelby, north Carolina, at Cleveland Country Club.

Josh Sears:

Amazing folks out there, amazing community, and it wasn't part because we know that hurricane just went up in North Carolina and pretty much destroyed it. Thankfully it didn't affect the area that we went to, it was a little more West, so we were still able to continue on and that community was very supportive and welcoming to us and we raised like $1,500 was donated to a place called Big Red Bond Retreat in Blythewood, south Carolina, and they deal with veterans and first responders, giving them therapy through non-traditional means but still have staff to help them through their thing, whatever situations that they're going through and whatever traumatic injuries, like brain injuries and trauma that they have. And with that money we were able to keep a program funded for the next three to four months, an equine therapy program that has half half dozen to a dozen different veterans, first veterans and all first responders and their families to use that therapy program for the next three months beautiful so very familiar with the equine therapy yeah, it's foundation and here in delray.

Scott McLean:

Okay is my. They're my herd, they're the ones that created this, this nonprofit monster that I am, and they're still my herd. I still go every Friday. I've been going for two years, so I have a lot of respect for that and I know that. Now you said something about a couple minutes ago that I have to clarify. See, we're from the same region, we're from the same place. I always say Rhode Island is just, it's just the biggest suburb of Massachusetts.

Josh Sears:

It's really to me it really is.

Scott McLean:

But you said something that I understood it, but I'm guaranteeing that probably 98% of the listeners the listening had no idea what you said when you said the big red barn right, see, the big red bond, right, see, now I, I learned this, we. He said barn, barn, people b-a-r-n. Barn, yes, see, I say bond, you say bond. They don't know what the hell a barn is. So I, I caught that. That's why I'm a good podcaster, john, yes, yeah.

Josh Sears:

I got that.

Scott McLean:

My hours are not good. They didn't understand. Nah, don't worry. Yeah, this is us. We were here, first buddy, that's what I, and then everybody moved west. Everything started in Massachusetts in Rhode Island.

Scott McLean:

I'll give you that. So I have a couple of things I want to ask you. So this is again, it's an endurance game for you guys. You're not going anywhere. You guys are just going to keep going forward and keep doing what you're doing. Did you ever think that maybe someday like we're going to have to get some younger golfers to kind of do those rounds for us and like I can sit back now, like you did your time, buddy, you know, now bring in a new recruit and say come on, champ, you can do it. Oh yeah, that's. Is that in the plans, you think, is it?

Josh Sears:

it is. That's actually the things we talked about during our last event. Yeah, it's just because you know three of us all in our early 40s and then four of us were all in our early 40s and then we had that 73 year old uh veteran that was with us and we're like we're all old and broken and disabled broken is basically from the military, but and have like yeah you know, some form of disability?

Josh Sears:

yeah, we might need, like, young folks to do this. And you know we talked about it and it's just like everybody could be like, yeah, I want to give it a try. Okay, well, we can't just try it? There's it's like you have to finish. Yeah, well, you will finish. Good point, the 100 plus holes. Like there's no ifs, ands or buts about it. Like it's either you're in it to win it or like don't waste our time.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, because nobody's. Yeah, you can just stop with donors money number one yeah that and that is important, that like people don't think about that, but see so non-profits, if somebody, in any case a veteran, shows up and they start halfway through, they're like, well, it's what we don't talk about, but it is the thing like they just wasted some donors money by doing that and it okay, shit happens. But in your case, this is very specific yes you know it's very specific.

Scott McLean:

This money's been put out, it's ready to go and you can't have somebody just die off at hole 55 yeah, because nobody's gonna pay for services they didn't get exactly.

Josh Sears:

So, like you're not gonna pay, I'm nobody's gonna give me a hundred dollars to do to do 50 holes. They'll give me a hundred dollars to do 100. I can't stop. Like you can't stop because you're tired. You just don't want to do it. No more. Yeah, after about whole 75, like we're all just kind of like I can imagine, I can't I can't imagine no, but we keep going because we know what our mission is like.

Josh Sears:

We're here for, you know, to advocate, to show these people that you know these veterans and first responders, that there's a whole community and nation behind you that you just don't see, like these folks are the silent majority. If you want to say it that like, look, I, I support our vets, I support our first responders, but no, don't know how. So here's us as this catalyst catalyst, you know, foundation here. Give us the money and we'll give it to the people that take care of them and we'll get them to the help they need. So, and then you know, we just keep doing what we do and we're going to keep doing it. But, yes, we want younger people that can actually not feel like, you know, death by hole 75, because because they will oh, they will, but they'll feel like a younger death, not an older death like us younger death.

Scott McLean:

I like that, I like that, so all right. So say, right now there's there's a you know young guy or young, or a young lady, young woman right that says, hey, I can do a hundred holes for you guys, I'd like to do that. Right now. You're in oklahoma, you're not all four in the same place, I'm taking it. Nope. So you guys have to meet up somewhere, yeah, like, and you pay for that to get there to do this, it's your time. And you say, okay, we're going to meet in, in the last case, north carolina. Yep, so everybody makes their way there. So there's a young golfer out there, a young man, young woman that says, I want, I think I can, I know I could do this. We don't want to hear I think, right, no, I know I could do this. How do I help you guys? So what do you say to them?

Josh Sears:

Well, contact us, shoot us an email message on Facebook and let us know you want to do it and we'll talk and you're going to do it. If you say you can do it, you're in. You're pretty much in, like now. If you're shooting like, if you're a beginner golfer and you're shooting like in the hundreds probably not the best thing for you to get into because it'll just drive you more frustrated because you feel like more pressures on you. Okay, I am not a good golfer by any means I'm. I'm decent, like around the 80s to 90s. Okay, I can pretty much keep the ball on the on the hole or the course and I can find it.

Josh Sears:

But you know we're just trying to go straight as possible, as fast as possible, walking. You're spending a couple minutes per hole, like you. It's not like a usual round of golf where you know you stand behind your drive on the tee box looking where you want to go. You get it, you see it, you hit it, you go as soon as you get. We have our four caddies that will get to the ball and give you the yardage and we'll have your club ready for you by the time you get there, because what you're going to do is just grab the club, swing the club, keep going. You're not lining up anything, except when you're on the green. You kind of line up the part a little bit, but get back on track.

Josh Sears:

If you want to do it, shoot us an email at 100fore22foundationcom at gmailcom. Go on Facebook 10422 Foundation. Same thing with Instagram Just shoot us a message, shoot us an email and put your contact in there. We'll get with you and we'll look forward to having more people join us, because our ultimate goal in philosophy and dream is the more the merrier If we can have an event in every state simultaneously with 50 different teams just think of what the possibilities can be to get the help we need for those individuals that need it.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, that's viable man you know, that's definitely something to build toward it, because I was thinking that same thing as soon as you were saying that I'm like you could have four in in oklahoma, you could have four in florida, you could have four in four in massachusetts. So, yeah, hey, listen that that, that would be amazing. That would be amazing. I'm assuming that you start these 100-hole marathons endurance test early in the morning.

Josh Sears:

As soon as we're able to see a ball fly. What's that? As soon as we're able to see a ball fly through the air, we're going.

Scott McLean:

There's no glow-in-the-dark balls in this game, buddy. That's straight up.

Josh Sears:

They make them Plus, plus you're racing the sun now right so now you're racing the sun right, so that's the third element to this whole thing oh yeah, so and it all like, and it depends on the course terrain, like, if it's fairly flat, yeah, it's pretty easy, okay, but if there's a lot of difference between the green to the next tee box, that's another issue, you know, or the elevation, you know, and the topography. There's a lot that goes into it, and so we're prepared for anything, and so you check out each course prior.

Scott McLean:

You either go online and you look at it, you map it, you get all the information on it, you do your homework on that course, because these are courses you've never played'm assuming, most of the time yep, so, like one in north carolina.

Josh Sears:

Yeah, never seen that course until, um, the day before, where we did a practice round just to kind of orientate ourselves. Yeah, of course, and yeah, but yeah, and then trying to, you know, select in a course, it's, you know I can, I can send an email and approach every course in the country, but it's up to that course. You know the head pro and you know their board and if they allow us, if they want us to come in, and you know we've been more than just us, you know we'll bring in a community event for the night before, a glow golf event where you know hit those going to.

Josh Sears:

Yeah, so you know we're bringing you know, not just us but we do it like a community engagement, you know, the day before. So that way, you know, meet the local community, you know if it's a private course or even a public course. The membership that you know patronizes that course like, hey, thanks for rocking up into your home, you know, it's just so. We try to engage the community as well and also let them know about us and let them know what we're fighting for or what we're, you know, raising money for to help. You know, keep our vets and first responders upright and moving forward. It shows them there are people that are actually out there trying to do it.

Josh Sears:

If you don't have a big bankroll account, we don't have money to make commercials for people concierge or have famous athletes or actors speaking on behalf. So we do all the groundwork ourselves. Would we love to get there? Yeah, we would love to be a big foundation, but we know we have to start small and we really rely on word of mouth from a lot of people and a lot of the head pros at the courses we've been to to spread the word. Or, you know, anybody listening. If you're a golfer, go to your course, but hey, I think this would be awesome for our course to do, you know, if it's a private course like understanding that most of these events will happen on a day that is closed so we don't disturb the membership Public courses it's, I mean, mean we can do it with or without, you know, golfers, you know, and we'll send out some information about what we do, like how it's broken down and all that so any plans on trying to get to south florida?

Scott McLean:

working on it, you got a course in mind I'm not a golfer, but so but this is what I'll do for you guys. Okay, if you ever do come to South Florida and I'm throwing this out in the podcast universe, josh okay, if you ever come to South Florida, palm Beach County, broward County right, I will host you guys at my house. I'll pay for the steaks, I'll pay for everything. I have, like a six-hole putting green in my backyard. Oh there, it's not huge, right, it's a dog leg around the pool and I will host you guys. Everything's on me. Man, you guys can come over before you do your thing. That would be my pleasure. I am not a golfer. Why I have a putting green in my backyard? I don't like real grass was useless to me, like you can't do anything with it.

Josh Sears:

So I do use it, I do use it.

Scott McLean:

I got it south florida, palm beach, county right yeah, I'm in palm beach county but broward county is right next door. I'm like right on the border of broward county, palm beach county hey, don't give me a reason to come to south florida this the the rib eyes are on me, buddy rib eyes on me and all the drinks. Everything's free, man, you come to my house, I'll take care of you guys. Yeah, so jonathan sessa introduced us.

Scott McLean:

Yes, warrior golf academy oh, what an amazing guy that guy is dude, I'll tell you what it's he puts that out to, like when he put out that he was on my podcast. You guys like there's a. There's a bunch that said, hey, like when he put out that he was on my podcast, you guys like there's there's a bunch that said, hey, like you were one of them, hey, I'll, I'll go on your podcast and I I got this vibe that the, the, the non-profit golf world is kind of a. They're kind of close-knit in a sense, like they're kind of they're friendly with each other. There's a connection. There's like, hey, we're golfers right, the nonprofit world is not always like that, but golfing- for the most part is yeah, you all have the same love for the sport.

Josh Sears:

Whether you're good or bad, you all have the same love for it. It's just nice to get out there, especially looking at how the course layout is. Man, this is what a layout. It's just nice to get out there, you know, especially looking at, like, how the course layout is. Like, man, this is what a layout. Like. You know you're with the, you kind of forget your where you are because you're on a golf course, you know. So it's nice. And at my fact, jonathan Sessa and Boyd Golf Foundation they actually are going to be our four caddies at our events. Oh, nice. So we've partnered up and john's ancestor came up to north carolina to kind of, you know, check out how we do it and stuff, and yeah, we talked about how we can move forward together and so you know he gets to. You know, take veterans, yeah, teach them about golf and caddy, and you know outside the box stuff, which is what I liked about that yes, outside the box, I'm not just teaching you how to.

Scott McLean:

It's outside the box oh, yeah, you know caddying and how to work the course and how to maybe do that. That's why I found his thing very interesting oh yeah, so I mean I can't.

Josh Sears:

John says is amazing, amazing person and like the conversations we had in North Carolina. Then I mean, we talk on a regular as well and yeah, it's just yeah.

Scott McLean:

Oh man. So if you guys like I said so, I put it out there the house, they got the pool, got the putting green, got the outdoor kitchen.

Josh Sears:

I'm calling right now. Hey, you're going to get us to south florida. Call a man, get him get you guys down here.

Scott McLean:

I, I swear I will do that. I will hook you guys up, man, I'll have a party for you guys, because I think what you're doing is really that's outside the box. Yeah, you know, people hear this go they're golfing and they're gonna, like. I started thinking about it because I, I'm not a golfer, so I thought the same thing, but then I was like fucking hundred holes, jesus, like that's, that can't be easy, like, and then I started really processing it. Yeah, I have a lot of respect for what you guys are doing, but if you're a young golfer, if you're a young golfer and you have stamina and you and you, you know you shoot under a hundred. I don't know whatever you just said, right the golf. If you're a better than average golfer, so they get in touch with you again.

Josh Sears:

The website is 10422foundationorg All right Email. 10422foundationorg All right Email. 100-422-foundation at Gmail.

Scott McLean:

And that's the number 100, the word F-O-R-E and the number 22. So do you guys take donations? You have a donation site on your website.

Josh Sears:

Right there, there's a way to donate now. And speaking of donations, we also have what we call a wall of heroes, where we like to get patches from different military and first responder units around the country and so we can put them up on, you know, make a wall of heroes and take it to different, you know, events that we can, so we can show Wow Because the military patches are cool, don't get me wrong. But first responder patches there's some good ones out there. You haven't. Yeah, I have a couple. My buddy, he's a Pittsburgh fire guy. He sent me a bunch. He sent me one from Chicago, from Wrigley Fire Department. That was pretty cool. I was like man, yeah, you know, from Wrigley Fire Department. That was pretty cool. I was like man yeah.

Scott McLean:

You know so just, I don't know if you have any US Customs and Border Protection patches, but I retired from there and I get some uniforms that I don't wear anymore, so I'll be more than glad to send you guys a patch, yeah, awesome, appreciate it, yeah.

Josh Sears:

And to do that the address to send them to is on there on. And to do that the address to send them to is on there on the website as well. Okay, so, where to donate? Now? Send right there on the website, so it's. And then all our events that are coming up. As we book events, you know, we throw it on the website too, and we don't just do 100 holes we hold every year well, last year was our first annual golf classic out here in Oklahoma Regular 18-hole scramble for folks that want to come out and just play a nice 18 rounds with their best golfing buddies, or guys or girls, just have a good time.

Josh Sears:

Support on good causes. I have my guy, my New England director, setting one up, hopefully later this fall, probably early to mid-fallfall, up in probably Rhode Island Mass, connecticut area. So once that gets locked in, we'll put it up there, so we'll hold scrambles as well. So that way, people are like man, I can't do it 100 holes, but I just want to golf. Well, don't worry, we're going to book some regular golf outings throughout the country as well, cause I don't I don't expect, you know, a hundred people right now, but like no, I'll come and do it. Like that'd be great.

Scott McLean:

I would love for it to happen, but to the bad not a lot, say, if you have endurance, you're young and healthy and you in this, you'd be motivated to do this. Reach out to them and, josh, as I always say, if you're listening to this podcasting and you and you're loving what 100 for 22 is doing, give them money. Go to their website and give them money. These guys travel from their home states to different states to do this and I'm sure they would appreciate donations to help make that happen. And that's an expensive endeavor to go to and you, you get your wall of of heroes and you get like there's things that go with this. So on the surface, this might sound just okay 100 holes but there's a lot that goes into putting these things together and these guys are working hard. Just gee, I got tired just talking about it, so I'm going to go out and putt on my putting green after this.

Scott McLean:

I'm going to do 100 putts in my backyard just for you, Josh.

Josh Sears:

I like it, you guys, you'll be a putting master.

Scott McLean:

Is there anything else, any events coming up in the near future, other than trying to get to South Florida for free steaks?

Josh Sears:

Just this June 9th out here in Oklahoma we'll have our second annual 100 for 22 Classic. It's in Edmond but it's north side of Oklahoma City, so you got Will Rogers World Airport that you can fly into. We'll be going out to some of the hotels see if we can get some discounted rates, because that way folks who need some lodging will be right there, all pretty close. Everything by the course is close. I mean the airport's 20 minutes from the course. And then we got the PGA Superstore, golf Galaxy, all within a couple of minutes of the course and where the hotels are, and some good eating so I need to do out here.

Scott McLean:

Let me ask you this is it? Is it? Is it seasonal for you guys? You can only do x amount a year? Is it seasonal like, okay, winter time, now you're limited to the southern states, or do you just like focus? Try to get them in around the fall and the summer?

Josh Sears:

we'll do whenever, okay, I heard there's a good one up in.

Scott McLean:

Up in Alaska, up toward the north pole, I heard they have a good golf course as long as it's the deadest summer for them it's only available in January.

Josh Sears:

It's only available in January that might be an endo, I I don't know about that.

Scott McLean:

That's when you need the glow of the dark Right Even in the snow. Well, hey, josh, this is great talking to you. Man, me and Josh, like I said, got introduced through Jonathan Sessa from the Warrior Golf Academy, who was a guest on this podcast a month or two ago and, yeah, I talked to Josh. First time I talked to him I was fighting traffic in Miami that I hate, but Josh was a good talker man and so he kind of got me through a little bit of that traffic jam getting out of Miami.

Josh Sears:

Glad to help.

Scott McLean:

Yeah, man, so I do owe you that much too when you come down. All right, well, listen everybody Again. 10422foundationorg 104, f-o-r-e 22, at gmailcom, right, yep, okay, reach out to them If you feel like you want to donate. Donate If you feel like you want to help them out in any way. I'm sure they will take help in any way they can get it. Reach out, talk to josh or whoever you know handles that, and I'm sure they would be more than appreciative, as would the people that donate to for their, for their endurance. Golf, it should be like an olympic sport, sounds like all right, everybody? Uh, josh, stick around for a second. I'm'm going to do my outro. Uh, we built another bridge today. This one was a hundred hole bridge and it was great having 100 for 22.

Scott McLean:

Foundation on this podcast. Josh, again, thank you. If you like this podcast, share it. If you didn't like it, well, thanks for listening for 51, 52 minutes. Yeah, if you're wanting to check out my foundation, here's my cheap plug josh one man, one mic, foundation, dot. Oig. We're doing good stuff with veterans teaching them, uh, giving them a voice through, teaching them how to podcast and storytelling, and it's it's going very well. So check out my foundation foundation. I can do that, right, josh. Yeah, I have the right to plug my own thing right.

Josh Sears:

Oh, absolutely.

Scott McLean:

All right, I don't want to step on your toes. That's why I do it all the way.

Josh Sears:

at the end, if we get down to South Florida, one man, one mic has to come out. We'll do a live podcast.

Scott McLean:

Absolutely, buddy, absolutely All right, everybody listen all the way to the end. There's a good public service announcement for 988 and 211. It's good for veterans, family members of veterans and just civilians in general. There's good information. It's 30 seconds long, so give it a listen. Thank you again, will O'Pom, for your sponsorship, and I guess that's it. I will see you guys next week with a new episode.

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