The VetsConnection Podcast
Join host Scott McLean, a veteran and also a passionate advocate for veterans' well-being. Each week Scott will bring you an episode that will feature insightful conversations with representatives from non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting veterans, as well as experts discussing programs within the Veterans Affairs (V.A.) aimed at assisting veterans with their needs. From discussing innovative therapies to highlighting community resources, this podcast sheds light on the myriad of ways veterans can find support and healing thru nonprofit organizations and also to connect nonprofits with each other in hopes of creating a network that will be beneficial to all.
The VetsConnection Podcast
Ep. 57 - Teeing Up Hope: Golf's Impact on Veteran Recovery. Talking With Melvin Azofeifa, Founder And CEO of Stairway For Heroes
Melvin Azofeifa, founder and CEO of Stairway for Heroes, shares how a golf nonprofit is helping veterans heal through camaraderie, connection, and community. His personal journey from military transition struggles to finding purpose through golf reveals how recreational activities can combat isolation and create lifelines for veterans.
• Founded Stairway for Heroes after discovering golf's therapeutic benefits during his difficult transition from 14.5 years in the Navy
• Provides veterans with golf clubs, lessons, and playing opportunities through two distinct programs
• Creates environments where veterans can connect, share resources, and support each other
• Addresses isolation as a critical issue for veterans, getting them outdoors and engaged in meaningful social interaction
• Focuses on the camaraderie and conversation that happens during rounds of golf, not skill level
• Collaborates with other veteran organizations to maximize impact and reach more veterans in need
• Runs events including golf tournaments, clay shoots, and business networking opportunities
• Emphasizes that you don't need to be a good golfer to benefit from the program
Visit www.stairwayforheroes.com to learn more, volunteer, donate, or refer a veteran to the program. Three ways to support: donate funds, volunteer your time, or simply spread the word to veterans who might benefit.
Welcome to the podcast. I'm Scott McClain. My guest today is Melvin Azofefa. Melvin is the founder and CEO of Stairway for Heroes. It's a golf nonprofit and, as I do now, instead of me butchering it, I'm going to hand it over to Melvin and he's going to tell us what it's all about.
Melvin Azofeifa:How you doing, melvin and he's going to tell us what it's all about. How are you doing, Melvin? I'm great. Scott, Thank you so much for having me on here and allowing me and the organization the opportunity to talk about what we're trying to do to help veterans.
Scott McLean:Absolutely my pleasure, my friend. So, okay, I have to tell people this story. Melvin and I have missed each other for like two weeks now. It's the craziest. So we finally had it set up two days ago. I'm recording today on what's today. Today's a Wednesday the 27th, yeah Right. So two days ago I'm here in the studio, the one man, one mic foundation studio, and, uh, it was supposed to meet at three o'clock and I, I, I like, okay, it's quarter to three.
Scott McLean:I'm just going to step out whenever I go to the bathroom or whatever, and I walk out of my studio and I go and I do what I gotta do and I come back and I locked myself out of the studio with my phone my wallet and my car keys in the studio and it's now, I don't know, 10 minutes to three and I have no way to let Melvin know that well, this isn't happening today, because now I have to call the building manager and I had to go to the laundromat next door. It was a horror show. And then today, me and Melvin are supposed to kind of okay. We got one o'clock and da, da, da, da and Melvin's like sends me a text dude, Uber canceled on my daughter. I got to take her to work. We are going to get this done.
Melvin Azofeifa:Exactly, but we're here.
Scott McLean:We're here. We're here now.
Melvin Azofeifa:We're here, buddy. We're here now.
Scott McLean:And then the link wasn't working. We're getting this done. Today was the day.
Melvin Azofeifa:And I promised them that it was meant to be the day.
Scott McLean:All right Now. With all that aside, give us a rundown on the Stairway for Heroes.
Melvin Azofeifa:Well, you know, scott Stairway for Heroes came from my transition out of the Navy. You know, after 14 and a half years, my wife and I made a difficult decision to pull chocks, as we like to call it, right in the Navy and, unfortunately, you know, complete the career and we had some family stuff and for me family is the most important and we decided, hey, we're done. But during COVID everything seemed to not be normal, right, and especially within, you know, the administrative part of the military, and then whether they were going to make people take shots or not take the shot, and then, okay, you can't get out if you don't want to take the shot. Well, you know that delayed, you know processes. I was in the same pipeline. I voluntarily told the military like, look, I can't continue and unfortunately, because of the delay and the timeline, I'm a planner, so I, you know we were talking about this earlier, right, about the calendar and knowing what I'm going to do next week and everything else. And I'm like, okay, what am I doing next week, what am I doing tomorrow? What am I going to do in three? Didn't? I didn't do well with it.
Melvin Azofeifa:I, you know, I, I, I was going to interviews, uh, living through the process of the applications, the no contact, the interview, the no reply, that you know, everything that that anyone goes through in a career search or a search for a new job. And you know I'm, I just, unfortunately, you know I'm a man of faith and still, you know, allowed the enemy to let me be negative and and, and it was so easy because everything that I was trying, or everything that I was touching, or every interview that I was going to, or everything that I was doing was just no, no, no, no, no, no, no, and, or or I don't know, no, no, and, or, or I don't know. You know, I didn't know what was going to happen and you know, unfortunately, you know, the percentages of veterans that we lose daily is way too high and I'm just blessed and thankful that I'm on this side of the percentages and through that time, through rekindling with I've been in Tampa since 1988, born in Costa Rica and migrated here and I came back now I've been out two years, I've been back three years now and picked up some clubs and started playing with an old high school buddy of mine and buddies that I've known from the past and the competitive side came out again. You know, I hadn't, I hadn't played organized sports since high school and I started to notice, like, why am I? You know why am I concerned about how my workouts are now? You know, I always had the same regiment. You know why am I concerned about how my workouts are now? You know, I always had the same regiment. You know, over the years it was always at 30 years old in the Navy I always had to, you know, be a good size so that the young guys didn't think I was a punk, right, you know what I mean. Like you ain't going to get over on me and, uh, and, and I had to change it.
Melvin Azofeifa:And, and I, I changed my workout. I started, uh, my trainer, you know young guy was helping me out, him and I started playing and you know, first thing he told me is like, hey, you need to become more flexible. And I'm like all right, well, what does that mean? You know, what do we got to do? He goes well, I'll change your workout. And we started to change things.
Melvin Azofeifa:I started to, I started to practice, started to go to the range and I'm like wait a minute, hold on. Why am I doing all these things I'm trying to get better at something. I'm concentrating on this. I am taking the time to go, and, you know, taking the time to go and practice and play. And you know, here I thought I was the next rendition of Tiger Woods and I get mad on the course right, like, oh, you know, so frustrated and I started to realize, wait a minute, there's something here.
Melvin Azofeifa:I, you know, I've known my buddy, jason for 30 plus years. He was in the Navy as soon as I got out of high school and then I went into the Navy way after he got out, Him and I's relationship, you know, rekindled and you know we started playing together and we started going out and we started to find people to come and, you know, play with us and you know, play with us and, and you know, tampa's home. So, as I start to rekindle all my friendships with people and now I'm having conversations with people I started to get some of my veterans buddy to come out with us and I realized that that golf carries such an important part that through COVID it got taken away from us. And that's that personal part, the being able to have a conversation, like you and I are having right now, to be able to say you know, scott, man, I'm just really having a really really bad day. Man, I'm feeling A, b and C and probably, if I said that, you would come back and say you know what, mel, I don't know about A, I don't know about C, but man B, let me tell you, I've struggled with that too, and when that happened, and when that happens, it helps both parties, you know, and I saw the power of the game of golf and what it can do, getting outside the competitive nature, the difficulty in the game, and I'm like this is something that could help other people, as it has helped me.
Melvin Azofeifa:And then, as you start to get into the space of networking and talking to people and talking to veterans, I realized, man, veterans, we go through the same things differently and different things the same way. And I'm like, wow. And then, as I started to meet veterans, they would tell me, hey, you know, how's your disability claim going? Oh well, this, hey, what about this? And then they started to give me pointers. And then, hey, how's this going? And then they started giving me pointers and I'm like, wait a minute, this is exactly what we had in service the camaraderie, the connection, the network and the ability to have something.
Melvin Azofeifa:So that is exactly what we're trying to build here at Stairway for Heroes is exactly what we're trying to build here at Stairway for Heroes, and we do that by providing we have two different programs now. One of them gets a veteran into golf. So clubs because I never had clubs right, and then they're expensive. Lessons we have five lessons at their pace, right, as fast, as long as they need, and then the opportunities to play throughout the year, which what we do is we put teams in other organizations, scrambles okay, yeah and then that gives them, you know, in a scramble, you know your shot.
Melvin Azofeifa:Unless it's a good one, doesn't really count or doesn't really matter so for for the non-golfers.
Scott McLean:I'm a non-golfer, but I do understand golf. I actually have been known to watch it more than a few times. Tell the listeners and the viewers what a scramble is.
Melvin Azofeifa:Well, especially here in Tampa, and I'm sure probably nationwide organizations utilize golf tournaments as a fundraiser, as we do. And in that fundraiser what you do is to kind of pace is very important because it can take forever. Right, it can take four hours to play an 18 round game of golf. But in a scramble, basically everybody gets a shot and then from the team of four you pick the best one and then everybody goes there and they hit four. You know everybody hits one again and then so you basically play the best shot. So that's why I made a comment that you know, even if I got a really decent shot, if somebody got a little bit better, it's okay. Yeah, we just use theirs.
Melvin Azofeifa:But then I started to make goals. I was like, well, they could use three of my shots, just three. I could use three of my shots, just three, just three. Of this thing I'll be happy. Then it started to be four, and then it started to be five, and then I'll sink a putt and just things that happen in the game. You know, in in a, in a non judgmental atmosphere other than the people that you're playing with, because the people you're playing with they're going to be judging everything that you do.
Scott McLean:But in overall. There's no judgment passed in a in a scramble. Yeah, so you touched on something. Uh, you went in the navy when you were in what? 2008, when you were 30 years old. Is that correct?
Melvin Azofeifa:I was, I was, I was 30 years old, uh, the day I got to Great Lakes, illinois.
Scott McLean:How did that happen? Lead us up to why a 30. And hey, listen, god bless you, I went in when I was 23. So I was older than everybody else Even then. Yeah, so tell us, like, what was the point in your life where you said you know what? I'm just going to go in the Navy.
Melvin Azofeifa:Well, you know it was a complete accident. I would never I always tell people I never had any desire or any goal to join the military. It wasn't a path that I felt was for me.
Melvin Azofeifa:I know that feeling Going through high school and going through college and it's not for everybody, especially now. I know it's not for everybody, but I graduated from the University of South Florida in 2001 with a finance degree and I spent the latter of those seven years working between mortgage as a mortgage broker, mortgage consulting whatever you want to call it, but definitely was a broker and then and selling RVs and then, you know, fast forward. Obviously there's a lot of stuff that happens in between, but then 2008 hit in the state of Florida and neither one of the industries that was going from one to the other.
Scott McLean:The crash, yeah, yeah it wasn't.
Melvin Azofeifa:It wasn't good and you know really what. What made the decision easy was my youngest daughter was born in January of 2006. I had a much bigger responsibility and I was actually helping out a, a friend, to go into the Air Force and being in sales, you kind of. You know, you learn people's actions, how they react to what you're saying and everything else, and I could tell he was getting blown off. I knew he had something on his record. So I'm like, okay, well, hey, I'll help you.
Melvin Azofeifa:But at that point remember my daughter's two years old. She's walking around the office grabbing all the little toys and I'm like you know what? I better go ahead and step out of here. We stepped out and we walked down the uh, the little Plaza there, about five or six doors down, as I was chasing her, playing with her, and I ran into someone. She was dressed in white and, uh, we started to have a conversation and in that conversation, you know, I asked a million-dollar question I'm too old to join the Navy? Huh, thinking, okay, she's going to tell me yes, she tells me no. I think at that time was 35 was the age limit. She goes, no, she goes. Well, how old are you.
Melvin Azofeifa:At that time I was 29, about to turn 30. The next month this was in March and my birthday is in April and I said, well, I'll be 30 next month, she goes. Well, you're not too old, she goes. Do you want me to tell you a little bit more about it? And I'm like I got time to kill, why not?
Melvin Azofeifa:And, man, when she told me about the medical benefits and I was looking down at my little girl, I said you know what Medical benefits? I know that I can go and at least get her the GI Bill so that she can have at least the opportunity to get a bachelor's degree. Remember, at that point I'm struggling. You know what I mean. It was rough and I'm like you know what this has got to be it. I had a plan of four years and certainly after my first deployment, about a year and a half to two years in the Navy, I was in Afghanistan and I said you know what I can, I can make this, I can make this work and and. And you know, when you talk about finances and insurance and family and and being able to just be good Security, oh God, that's security. The security is huge and that's why a lot of us ended up staying.
Scott McLean:Yeah, I started it before and I ended up doing 10 yeah in the air force.
Melvin Azofeifa:yeah, I know the feeling man so so that that that did it. It wasn't easy.
Melvin Azofeifa:I think some of the chiefs that at recruit training great lakes, illinois, I think they had their own conversation and they're like hey man, we got a 30 year old in our and, and and you know what I mean and in our group, come and check them out and but I tell you what, every morning a new chief was coming in and oh, you're the guy. Oh, yeah, chief, yes, chief, and I didn't know what was going on. After a while I kind of caught wind of kind of what was going on. But, uh, you know, I I loved the, the navy, I I will tell anybody who's listening, who has a person that is thinking about it or is contemplating it, it is an amazing, amazing opportunity and you just have to take advantage of everything that they give you, because, unfortunately, they are going to take advantage of what you can provide to them.
Scott McLean:Oh yeah, Everything you can give them. You are guaranteed to give it because they will take it. You have no choice, in a sense. Uh, okay, so you do your time. Uh. While you were, while you were in, you said you went to afghanistan any anything uh, anything happened, anything uh well, you know, I mean we, I, I uh if you know what I mean yeah, no, no, no, no, no.
Melvin Azofeifa:I mean you know Afghanistan is Afghanistan, right? Yeah, I was thankful enough and lucky enough that you know I'm here and came back safe. I was in Kabul, in the capital, and there was stuff you know happening, you know all around us. Thank God, I just never had to, you know, was never in that position and I'm here. But in the career I took those assignments. You know what I mean. The assignment to Afghanistan was a complete move for career. If I can go there, then I know that I'm going to end up with awards and then I'm going to come back and now experience and then, you know, hopefully that helps me get to the next pay grade, because that's the climb right. You want to get to the next pay grade and then do what is necessary to do the next pay grade At 30,.
Melvin Azofeifa:I took every opportunity, every deployment to do that. What I just never saw was the damage that it was doing back home with, with the family, and once it and they teach you in the military, especially once I made chief and and you know it's you get to senior enlisted they tell you, hey, you got to be, you know, mindful of what you see, what they say, how they're acting. Is there something different? And, man, I was zoned in on the ship and all the commands that I was at zoned in and I knew not at home, and when it hit home it was. I say it's an easy decision. Because of what it was, it wasn't easy, but I didn't hesitate in unfortunately, in unfortunately making the decision to, to walk away. Um, the aftermath, of course, wasn't the easy part, but you know, god is God is good.
Melvin Azofeifa:And now, through Stairway for Heroes, we have the opportunity to, you know to help others and connect others with. You know veterans and civilians here in the Tampa Bay area and you know, you never know where a conversation is going to take you. So if I can help one person, that's great, and we've been able to help several. So, as I meet people, I tell them what opportunity we can help and provide them with and you know, if they like it, then great, and you know what I mean. If they come out, you know they tend to return when they come out. We just got to get them to come out initially and enjoy themselves with us.
Scott McLean:This is, I think, the third golf nonprofit that I've interviewed, and you all offer something different and I like that, although I must say, every nonprofit is unique in its own way.
Scott McLean:Yes, I must say every nonprofit is unique in its own way. Yes, I had no idea that golf nonprofits existed. I had no idea that any nonprofits existed, but my listeners already know that story Right. So you find out that these things are out there and you're like whoa, whoa, whoa. Why don't I know about this, which was the origins of why I started this podcast. But yeah, I guess, let me see. I interviewed somebody in South Florida. I interviewed a group, a gentleman out in Oklahoma where they tour, they go around and do fundraisers, and now you and I just find it.
Scott McLean:I find it fascinating because golf is so. If you're dealing with veterans and most likely you could be dealing with veterans with PTSD or TBI, and I always looked at golf somebody warned me. They said don't start playing golf when you're older, it's not good for you. Jokingly, a golfer said that, of course, right, a frustrated golfer. So I looked at it, as it can be a frustrating game. I've seen people throwing clubs. How does it relate? Because and I know there's a lot more to it than just that but give me the. So that's kind of the downside. Give me the upside, like the therapeutic aspect of golf from your foundation's perspective.
Melvin Azofeifa:As I will speak from my experience and I will speak in how it benefited how it benefited me and how it's benefited others that we've talked to. I initially, when I first got out of the Navy, I was working as a contractor and I was working remote at home and I initially thought, talking to my wife, that I wanted a remote job. And she goes well you know, honey, you've got to be careful.
Melvin Azofeifa:What you ask for, god's going to bless you with it. I'm like, oh, I know, you know, not being doubtful, right being doubtful when I said that.
Melvin Azofeifa:And you know, sure enough, here it comes. And you know, man, I was working at home and it was. You know, first day is great. Second day is great, you know, you get to do some stuff on the side. You still could do some house stuff, and then I found myself being in the house. You know, I wake up in the morning. I, I, my daughter, was in high school, you know, here, you know, right across the street from our house, take her, come back, and then I would start my work day, and then I would lunch, I would be right here and I would leave. Uh, you know, come back, and come back to the office, and, and, and I found myself in the same cycle where I wasn't. You know what I mean. I wasn't. I, yes, I was interacting with the people that I worked with, but I wasn't leaving my house. You know what I mean. I mentioned earlier too, I have three dogs. I would walk the dogs and they would. You know, they loved it, they love it.
Scott McLean:It's like being under house arrest.
Melvin Azofeifa:Yeah, you know what I mean, but that was, that was the mistake that I was making. I wasn't getting outside. So you know, that's one of them, and and and unfortunately, isolation is is one of those things that that that we as human beings do to kind of part, you know from things, hence the name, right, so it helps the isolation piece with getting out of the house. The mental aspect and I always joke with people when I'm playing, you know, of course, I hit it and the ball goes into the woods and I'm like how is this game helping me with my mental health? You know. And then you know, with my mental health, you know. And then you know, with my buddy Bren and ex-Army Ranger and him and I get out and you know, and he tells me he goes dude, stop worrying about it, man, like you know what I mean.
Melvin Azofeifa:Like really if you did get a good shot. What difference does it make, other than your next shot is going to be good? You know what I mean. And I like well, yeah, but it's part of the game. But he goes, but you said it, it's a game, we ain't getting paid for this. So I joke with people. I say you know, pga, I told the pga to stop calling. You know what I mean. Like I'm not interested, yeah, um, but the conversations that we were having, the, the jokes, the. You know what I mean.
Melvin Azofeifa:I did love. One of the things that I loved about working as a contractor is that I was still around other Navy, you know guys and gals. So you know we had that camaraderie. So then I, then that's where it clicked. It's like, oh, it's the camaraderie. You know what I mean. I'm out there, I'm. You know I'm talking to someone, I'm building something, a friendship with someone.
Melvin Azofeifa:You know a funny story about meeting Brent. I did a nonprofit showcase here in Tampa. I met his wife a year ago. A year ago now, yeah, a year ago now. I feel like I've known the guy for 40 years. You know what I mean. That's the type of bond and that's the type of friendship that we have and that's not easily built if you don't have that common ground, if you don't have that, the commonalities of hey, well, I was in Iraq. Okay, well, I was in Afghanistan. Okay, what do you see here? Okay, this is what you know what I mean. And you start to build that. And then you start to realize, hey, I'm not alone to build that. And then you start to realize, hey, I'm not alone.
Melvin Azofeifa:You know, and as much as I tell people this, what I am trying to build and what we have built with Stairway for Heroes, with the camaraderie, the networking, the talking to people getting out and playing golf, what I'm trying to help others with, I still struggle with. I wake up sometimes and be like, oh, here we go this day. Oh, my goodness, you know, so it's it. It has helped me. You know I'm I'm seeking the same thing I'm trying to help others with, because the struggles with PTSD, the struggle physical struggles, right Of getting up, and, oh man, I feel like I'm 70 years old. You know what I mean, all those things.
Melvin Azofeifa:I realize I'm not the only one, and not that misery loves company, but it's good to know that you can go to someone and say like I'll bring up Brent and Jason as an example and I will say hey, man X. And they're like no see you next done X, been through X 25 times. How about this, see if this helps? Oh man, yes, it does. This is amazing. So you know the, the and the physical aspect. I mean golf is definitely a game that you can play, you know, until gosh. I mean eighties. I mean I've seen some people I played with some of them and they hit it straight. They may not hit it long, but they hit it straight and they go up and then they hit it straight again and then they go ahead. So you know it's something that you can definitely play, you know, late into your age and as well as you know some. There are some beautiful golf courses around the united states I was thinking about that.
Scott McLean:You're out there in a beautiful environment. I mean, that can only be therapeutic. I don't know if anybody uh, maybe the ultimate golf snob and I'm not a golfer, I'm just assuming it has gone out to a golf course and said this is junk, right? I don't know if that ever was said on a golf course.
Melvin Azofeifa:No, I mean they'll judge. You know what it is.
Scott McLean:It's like if you're out there, oh these greens, man, they're just not good today, that's what I understand. They're like man. You know what I mean.
Melvin Azofeifa:Look where you are right no-transcript that the relationship also has grown from sitting and playing golf, cause you know, nine holes will take you probably about two hours, 18 will probably take you about four. So at the end I I mentioned this to people. I said, listen, you're either going to love the person, you're going to like the person, you're going to want to play with them again. You're never going to want to see them again, but one of those is going to happen. But at the end of the day, you've experienced something.
Melvin Azofeifa:So, now you just move on to the next one, and, and, and uh you know, next opportunity, you've experienced something Absolutely and it's, it's, it's just all.
Scott McLean:It's, it's all um. What's the word I'm looking for? Um, it's all relevant, it's all relevant to, to the, to the, the, the purpose and what you want to do. So let me ask you this at what point were you um, I'm just going to say, because we're all crazy, right, were you crazy enough to say I want to start a nonprofit?
Melvin Azofeifa:You know, as I started to, we have friends, we have friends also that have nonprofits, and I started to. You know I always throw my experience into it. Right, I didn't get to retire, I am a disabled veteran, but you know I don't get that beautiful pension, you know, for the military. So all of us always seek either a job or you know what I mean. But you know we're seeking that, as we were talking about before, that kind of got me into the military, that security blanket, you know. And um, being playing, I'm like man, this golf, this round was $75. This golf, you know, this round, was this much of this round. Okay, well, if, if I'm playing with veterans and we're all experiencing the same thing and some don't have the opportunity to get into golf, and that's where the second program comes from. We also have what we call friends of stairway with where civilians and veterans who already play can also be part of what we do with the playing in other scrambles. So I, you know, as I started to see, and I'm you know, I'm starting to network and I start to see, you know, this organization does this and then this organization does that, and you know, and I'm like, well, where physically right for veterans. And then you start to see all your transition courses and you're you know what I mean and there are, there are a lot of amazing companies doing amazing things for veterans when it comes to transitioning and help with interview and help with, you know, resume and things like that, and it's like, okay, that's, that's, that's amazing. But, like you said, there are other golf organizations there's. There's another one here in Tampa. A friend of mine runs it and you know I said you know what, if I didn't get into golf, I wouldn't have been able to spend the time and rekindle and meet and create the friendships and network that I have with friends that really have come from golf. You know what I mean. I'm like, well, why can't that opportunity be presented to another veteran? And I also. I started to inquire and I haven't. We haven't gotten to the growth yet where we could include first responders to start getting them into golf. But you know we are.
Melvin Azofeifa:So it's always mission, mission, mission, mission, mission, get the mission done, get the mission done, get the mission done. And when that thing gets slid underneath us, a job you know is great. I mean, obviously we all need work, right, we all need to pay our bills and everything else is great. I mean, obviously we all need work, right, we need to pay our bills and everything else. But when that day is over, what else? What else is there and is it just work? You know, too much of one thing is never any good. So if it's just work, you know what I mean. Man, that may not be good. And what we try to do with our networking events that we do is also get the spouses and the family to come out. I want to get to the point where we're including veteran children, the spouses. You know what I mean, and one step at a time. Right, when we talk about nonprofit, we know nonprofit, everything is based around money, right?
Scott McLean:You want it all, but you can't have it all.
Melvin Azofeifa:Exactly exactly. So we started this way right now and we're starting to build. We're in our second year. We've had two successful tournaments in the last two years. Last year we did a successful clay shoot. This year we'll do another one on October 10th. So we're picking up a little bit of steam and getting that help.
Melvin Azofeifa:But you know, as I mentioned earlier, as you start to talk to veterans and you realize that we're, you know same thing differently, different things, the same way. You know it's not for everybody. Camaraderie that can come from an event or a conversation that can come from an event that they attend could lead to something and could help them in other ways, and all that we want is for them to just be able to come out and have that conversation. And if they golf, by all means have that conversation. And if and if they golf, by all means let's let's go ahead and do it. But I definitely saw a need to be able to, to help and and and really, just like me, as I've started to realize I'm not alone in this thing. Yeah, it's okay to have that struggle. It's okay to wake up in the morning and say, oh, today's not going to be a good one to have that struggle.
Melvin Azofeifa:It's okay to wake up in the morning and say, oh, today's not going to be a good one, but then take those next couple steps, make that phone call and then get that. You know, you alleviate some of it Because you know, man, unfortunately, you know, nothing's going to be perfect. Not every day is perfect, not. You know, you're going to have stressors, you're going to have things that happen, but it's just being able to manage them so that they don't build and then build, because then what ends up happening is they build, build, build, build, build, build, build. And then now you've got this huge tower of just negativity, like I was, and then you start to lean, unfortunately, to the negative thoughts.
Scott McLean:Yeah, yeah. And it's all about. Look, if you help one veteran, then it's successful. If that one veteran that comes out and you know, decides to go with your organization, get out on the course and it changes his life, Well that's that's a success, that's a successful organization. You know, and I I tell veterans about that with podcasting. You know, uh, and I, I tell veterans about that with podcasting. You know you're not going to be joe rogan, there's only one joe rogan.
Scott McLean:And but if you have a podcast that a veteran hears and and it doesn't have to be about veterans they just, you know, they listen to what you have to say and they're like, hey, I can connect with that and it helps them, then that's a successful podcast. You don't need 10 000 downloads, just need that one that counts. You don't need, uh, you know, a hundred people out on the golf course, because your foundation needs to hit the numbers and we need to get more golfers and we need to get more veterans. Yeah, it's all about helping. If that, if there's one veteran that comes out of that, it it's like this just changed me, like you said, when you get out on the golf, cause it kind of changed you, it got you, yeah, it gave you, maybe a sense of purpose and then I got a lot more polo shirts than I ever did before man.
Scott McLean:You do, my friend. So if, uh, if a veteran up in your area, you're in the Tampa area.
Melvin Azofeifa:Yes, sir.
Scott McLean:If there's a veteran that's maybe interested, how would they go about getting involved with Stairway for Heroes?
Melvin Azofeifa:They can. There is an information button on the website that they can hit in wwwstairwayforheroescom and it's Stairway. F-o-r, h-e-r-o-e-s. Sometimes people forget the s heroescom they forget the e yeah, exactly, exactly somehow I should have thought about that when I was doing it for heroes. Sounds amazing, all right, let's do it. And then, as I'm typing it, even sometimes an email I'm like oh man, I should have made this shorter.
Scott McLean:You know, we are, you live and you learn hey, how do you think? One man, one mike foundation I'm spelling that thing out constantly.
Melvin Azofeifa:That's a lot of letters, yeah yeah, exactly but uh, but yeah if they reach, yeah, they reach out to me there, you know I'll talk with them. Um, you know, right now, you know the program is really, you know it's open, as I would like to. You know, my goal was to do at least three a quarter. We've, we, we haven't gotten to the 12 mark, you know in the first year. So you know plugging along and and and what.
Melvin Azofeifa:The reason we created the friends of stairway is because I realized that there are veterans that already play. Well, guess what? Let's go ahead and get them together with. You know, maybe one of my sponsors, you know one of my board members, or myself, my board president, and the two veterans. We've done that before and again, it's the camaraderie, it's the conversations, it's, you know, business, I know, will come out of it for each person, but for me it's just simply talking to someone having a conversation and see where it may lead you and by them clicking on the website, we will have that conversation and then, you know, see if, if, if we're a fit, if it's something that they want to, you know, pursue.
Melvin Azofeifa:But it's not just golf. We, you know, this past month, uh, we had a happy hour at a um simulator place, uh, which was really, really cool. We also did a uh, a happy hour at the Tampa baseball museum to to bring more attention to them, and you know what I mean. So you get the opportunity to have discussions with people and talk with people and again seeing where it goes. We also have a Veterans in Business Initiative with the Tampa Business Club here in Tampa, which is another arena where they can come out and meet people, and what makes I step away sometimes from the events and just kind of take a look and I don't see people sitting in the corner not having conversations. So that, to me, lets me know that it's good, because a conversation can lead you somewhere, or they.
Melvin Azofeifa:In a conversation, you get to know someone. They may know someone that can help you or assist or whatever that you may be in need of, um, with no pressure. You know the, the, and that's why I talked to a gentleman yesterday on LinkedIn. We connected and he liked what he, he appreciated what we do with Stairway for Heroes and I said listen, whenever you want to get out, you know, and come out with us please. Um, you know, give me your email and and you and you know, and I'll shoot you an email. When we have an opportunity, he goes. He replied back he goes, but I'm not any good and and says every golfer.
Melvin Azofeifa:And I replied back to him. I didn't say I was good. So let me not confuse you. I didn't say I was good and I tell them what I told you I'm out there for the conversations, I'm out there for the jokes and you know, I'm out there for the vitamin D, the game. Yeah, you know, look, search it for that. One shot that brings me back. But you know what?
Scott McLean:I mean.
Melvin Azofeifa:And it's funny how that game works. You will get one One where you're like man Tiger better watch out, or Scotty better watch out, I'm on the way, and then the next one is like okay, I'm right back to where.
Scott McLean:I'm back to. Yeah, I'm back to earth again, exactly. Exactly so. If somebody wants to donate and they like what you're doing, I always tell the listeners and other viewers out there if you like what they're doing, give them your money. And that would mean what I assume. Go to stairwayforheroescom and hit the donate button.
Melvin Azofeifa:Yep, there's a place there for that as well. There's opportunities. People always want to get something in return and that's the. That's the way it should be Right. And you know there are opportunities where you know we have events that they could be sponsors at the events to, to meet people if they're obviously in the local area, but if not, you know I always mentioned to people there are. There are three ways that you can really help Stereo for Heroes. Like you said, scott money right the money, the green fees, the clubs, the lessons everything else costs money, right?
Scott McLean:Yeah, yeah, yeah, all that stuff costs money.
Melvin Azofeifa:So money, yes, but I don't harp on that. I always tell them that's one. Hey, your time is also valuable. If you ever want to volunteer again, if you're in the Tampa Bay area or local Central Florida area, you can always volunteer. Help us there. That's always helpful.
Melvin Azofeifa:And then, if not, just tell somebody you know, tell somebody, tell, tell John down the street hey, john, I know you were in the army, hey, what about that? John may say I will never play golf, but my buddy, dave, dave, will definitely. You know what I mean. So, and that that kinds of you know that helps. So any one of those three ways, we would be thankful to gain the support. And then, of course, we are on every social media platform and we try to stay engaged on there and showing people. You know what we're doing and I am out and about, you know, every week here in Tampa, as much as I can to just try to get the word out, but also to see where some veterans may be that may be of help or may need help. But also for myself personally is how can I help them?
Scott McLean:Exactly, you know you touched on it. It's very interesting. Word of mouth is some of the best advertising you can get, and that's usually how I get veterans to the One man, one Mic Foundation. It's somebody takes the course, the podcasting course or the storytelling course, and they're like, hey, I got this friend and I told him about it or her about it, and next thing you know that person is taking the course. And same thing with any foundation. It's word of mouth. I was with Herd Foundation. I'm, uh, a part of herd funding, which is equine therapy, and I send people there all the time and it's that's that veteran to veteran thing, right?
Melvin Azofeifa:yeah, that's a connection definitely, no, no, definitely, and that's, and that's that's also what what I trying to, you know, seeking, and when I come out and I always try to inquire as to what services are being provided for veterans and are these services having a hard time helping or servicing the veteran because of costs, or you know what are the issues that may prevent you from helping others? Okay, well, you know, well, great, you're helping veterans, and if you find a veteran that you know you are unable to assist, if there's a way that we can assist with anything you know, I would love that. So that's another arena that you know, kind of another area that I'm trying to plug into, because there are some you know, and a lot of these services I'm finding out from going to networking events and talking to people and you know.
Melvin Azofeifa:So you know what I mean. Listen, the VA does as good a job as they possibly can.
Melvin Azofeifa:I won't you know, bad mouth them, because you know everything and I think every organization or every situation there's always something that you can judge and say you should do this better. But look at the number of people that they service. You know what I mean. So it's the largest bill for the United States government. So you know it's difficult to be perfect. It is Perfect, it shouldn't even be a word. But I mean it's difficult to assist everyone with every maximum capability, that things for veterans to help them where they're saying you know what, Melvin, yeah, we do. You know, we get you know X amount of veterans per month, but we're only able to help.
Melvin Azofeifa:Y and we're missing out on this many. You know what I mean, what's you know I mean. What can we help with? Right, Exactly, yeah.
Scott McLean:And that's important Collaboration. I always say that collaboration of a competition. If you can help another nonprofit, help them out. I could go in down that road, but it's that could be a bumpy road sometime. But listen, we are what we are you sure?
Melvin Azofeifa:can you know, collaboration is difficult.
Scott McLean:Yes, yeah, yeah, it is, and it's understandable. Most of the time, of course, I have my opinions in it. This is my second year, like yours, and I've learned a lot in the first year, um, but there's uh, I'm just there's a shitload of great organizations out there. They far, far outweigh the not so great organizations. Um, and that's with anything, that's with anything so I don't want to come off here like, oh everybody, no, there is.
Scott McLean:There is amazing organizations, yours is one of them. I have know the ones that pop up that I kind of and it's just my take on it I can just kind of see there's something ain't right there, but it's not my place to say anything. Let them, you know, continue to do their thing. That's my nonprofit bashing for a second.
Melvin Azofeifa:And the biggest thing along with that, scott man, listen, I will say that there are a lot of me, there are a lot of organizations, especially here in the Tampa Bay, but there's a lot of them and and we try to support. You know, like I said, if they do a scramble, hey, let's put a team in there. I know where the money's going. You know the money's going to their mission, but we have a mission by by putting in something like that, and there is difficulties in collaboration, there's always fears of the money aspect and the people aspect and everything else. You know my thing and you know, being a Christian man, listen, if I can help, I'm going to help you and there is nothing.
Melvin Azofeifa:And I will say this there is nothing that I want in return. I'm doing it because of what you've presented and I'm doing it to assist in your mission. Yes, we're getting something out of it because we're getting golfers in there, but you know, other than that man, I mean it's it's worth for the betterment of the people you know, veterans, civilians, society.
Scott McLean:And that subject I just touched on is really an unspoken thing. A lot of nonprofits do not want to talk like that, they don't want to seem like that, but they all know it. So I'm kind of saying the the quiet part out loud and you know I'm not going to be this guy that's going to be advocating for we need to clean up. No, no, everybody does their own thing right but it is talked about, it is talked about in the nonprofit world.
Melvin Azofeifa:Yes, definitely, but for that matter we usually leave each other alone too.
Scott McLean:You know like I'm not going to go calling people out, but of course not With all that, melvin, I want to. Is there anything else you want to say? Did we miss anything?
Melvin Azofeifa:No, you know, Scott. You know again. Thank you, man. I really appreciate this. This has been great. You know, between the lockout and the cancellation of the Uber, it's all right, we got it done and and you know I look forward to it, man and if you're in the Tampa Bay area, you know what I mean Please hit me up.
Scott McLean:We'll get out there and cut some grass together, if not, you know, maybe you know, over over over a drink, or even just a glass of water, right, and if you're down here in boca, instead of cutting grass we'll be cutting steaks. How's that? I'll bring you up to a nice steak dinner.
Melvin Azofeifa:Okay, all right, man well listen, I'll take you up on that. I played down in boca in memorial day. Okay, what a beautiful, beautiful place.
Scott McLean:So yeah, it is, yeah, beautiful boca definitely take you up on that brother.
Scott McLean:Absolutely.
Scott McLean:All right, stick around, I'm going to do my outro and we'll talk a little bit afterwards. Awesome man, thanks so much, all right. Well, there you have it. We built another bridge today, another golf bridge all the way from Tampa. I love I seem to I love these golf organizations. I can't interview enough of them because it's so unique. It really is. I mean, we're all unique in what we do. And, yeah, I want to thank you for joining me at the One man, one Mic Foundation studio my shameless plug I usually do at the beginning, but I was anxious to get to this interview with Melvin since we had so many delays.
Scott McLean:One man, one Mic Foundation what we do is we teach veterans how to podcast from concept to publication. What we do is we teach veterans how to podcast from concept to publication, and we do it for free and it's a six week course it's supposed to be. Sometimes it goes longer, I don't care, it's as long as we're doing something and it's productive and the veteran is getting benefit from it. And we also have a storytelling class and it's basically learning about the power and the therapy and the and the, the, the, the science and just the, the all around storytelling. It's amazing. It's amazing. I love it. That's I actually love teaching that class, um, and it's about veterans and their stories or whatever story they want to tell. It's just very therapeutic, it's very powerful. Uh, so if you're interested, go to one man one, mike foundationorg. Like I said, that's a lot of letters I know I should have shown. It should have been O M O M S.
Melvin Azofeifa:F H. I feel the same way it would have been a lot easier.
Scott McLean:Um, yeah. So again, uh, thanks for joining me. I appreciate your time Uh, your listens, your views. You are the engine that makes this podcast run and I truly appreciate it. And stick around. There's a good public service announcement at the end. Uh, it's a quick one, but it covers 9 1 1, uh 2 1 1, 9, 8, 8. It covers everything, uh for veterans, family members of veterans and uh civilians as well. So, uh, again, thanks for listening. Thank you, melvin, for coming on uh stairway for heroescom. Go there, give them your money and, uh, if you're in the Tampa area, look up Melvin, he'll help you cut some grass. So, yeah, and as I always say, you will hear me or see me next week.
