Stephen Stimac

26th June

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 4th annual Game of Throws Disc Golf Fundraiser Tournament a success. From our event sponsors and hole sponsors to each competitor who joined us on the course, your support helps make Outreach’s work possible throughout Polk County.

We would also like to give a special thank-you to our presenting event sponsors, Back Alley Boutique and Bud Bar, and to Jackson Martin of Wolfman Woods Disc Golf Club for welcoming us back and hosting this year’s tournament.

Thank You to Our Event Sponsors

We would like to recognize and thank our 2026 Game of Throws sponsors for helping make this year’s tournament possible. Your support helps strengthen this event and directly supports Outreach’s mission to provide food and shelter to Polk County families and individuals in need.

Presenting Sponsor
Back Alley Boutique and Bud Bar

Event Sponsors

Ashworth Financial Group

First Baptist Church of Tryon

Hypnotic Massage Sleep Boutique

Mountain Sky Builders

Saluda Outfitters

Skytop Cabinets

Hole Sponsors
All Good Things Bakery
Blackwell and Sons Plumbing LLC
Campbell and Associates Real Estate LLC
Cat Techs Plus
Crossroads Ice Cream and Coffee
Fitness Wide Open
Jackson’s Wrecker Service LLC
Junge Construction
Lasting Impressions LLC
Love 2 Fly - Drone Works
Openroad Coffee Roastery
Supreme Heating and Air Conditioning Co. Inc.
Triple A Sanitation
Van in Black

Congratulations to our 4th Annual Game of Throws winners!

WHT Division (Long Layout):

1st Place: Wesley Royster
2nd Place: Steve Hodges
3rd Place: Brock Bader

ORNG Division (Short Layout):

1st Place: Brock Bader
2nd Place: Mycal Self
3rd Place: Austin Nalley

Thank you again to everyone who played, sponsored, volunteered or came out to support the tournament. We are grateful for another great year of Game of Throws and look forward to seeing everyone back on the course next year.

Each year, our School Supplies Program helps Polk County students begin the school year with the tools they need to feel prepared and supported. We also aim to show our support of Polk County teachers by providing supplemental school supplies for their classrooms.

Thanks to donations from our community, we are able to provide new backpacks, classroom supplies and grade-level essentials to students across Polk County. These supplies help ease the financial burden on families while giving students the materials they need to walk into the classroom ready to learn.

Why We Do It

Having the right tools for school is an important part of a child’s academic success.

At Outreach, our School Supplies Program helps ensure that students begin the school year on equal footing with their peers. By providing access to new backpacks, classroom supplies and grade-level essentials, we help students feel prepared, stay organized and approach the year with confidence.

Our School Supplies Program is designed to support both Polk County students and teachers. Students receive backpacks filled with grade-specific supplies, such as binders, folders, pencils, pens and composition notebooks. Teachers receive classroom-kits stocked with year-round essentials like dry erase markers, sticky notes, highlighters, tissues and disinfecting wipes, along with grade-specific classroom supplies to help supplement their classes throughout the school year.

Our 2025 Impact

In 2025, Outreach provided school supplies to students and teachers across Polk County, including:

597 Polk County students received new backpacks filled with grade-appropriate school supplies.

This included:

• 345 students from Outreach families
• 25 students through DSS
• 43 students through Big Brothers Big Sisters
• 184 students during the Sheriff’s Department Back-to-School Event

173 Polk County teachers received teacher classroom-kits equipped with essential items for year-round classroom use.

Thank you to everyone who donated supplies, gave financially or helped make this program possible. Your support helps Polk County students begin the school year prepared and confident, while also providing teachers with extra classroom supplies to support learning throughout the year.

How You Can Help

Outreach’s School Supplies Program depends on the generosity of our community. Each year, we collect and purchase new backpacks, pencils, notebooks, pens, paper, binders and other essential supplies to support students and teachers across Polk County.

You can help ensure students are prepared and classrooms are stocked by donating supplies by dropping off new backpacks and school supplies at Outreach, located at 134 White Drive, Columbus, NC 28722.

Your support helps students and teachers begin the school year with the tools they need to feel prepared, confident and ready to learn. Thank you!

Columbus– On Tuesday, June 2, the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Thermal Belt Outreach at 134 White Dr., to celebrate the completion of significant updates and renovations to the Outreach Building.

Margot Carter, the executive director of Thermal Belt Outreach, expressed her excitement about the improvements. "It has been a priority of mine for several years to enhance the look and feel of our building,' she said. "With fresh paint and a new front porch, we hope to welcome our clients, volunteers, supporters, and staff in a more inviting manner."

Thanks to two matching grants from the Polk County Community Foundation, including the PCCF Unrestricted Fund grant and the Lois Miner Barrick Fund grant, the organization was able to fund the renovations.

Key partners in the renovation included Ricardo's Alpha Roofing, which addressed multiple leaks in the building's roof, and C&E Home Improvements, which managed the overall project. Yoder Painting was responsible for the painting of both the building and its storage shed.

Carter took a moment to express her gratitude to the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce for their ongoing support and assistance in facilitating the ribbon-cutting. "It's been a long time coming and

I am genuinely grateful for everyone's support," she added.

The Polk County Community Foundation's contribution significantly impacted the renovations, reinforcing the importance of local support for community initiatives. "This type of support means so much not only for our organization but for the entire community," Carter emphasized.

As the event concluded, Carter thanked all attendees and expressed hope that the improved facility would foster a more welcoming environment for everyone involved with Thermal Belt Outreach.

To become a volunteer or learn more about Thermal Belt Outreach, visit tboutreach.org.

Run for Outreach is an annual race event supporting Outreach’s work in Polk County. Proceeds from registrations, sponsorships and donations help Outreach provide food and shelter assistance to individuals and families in the community.

The event includes two race options: the Tryon Half Marathon and the Fall for the Foothills 5K. Both races welcome runners and walkers of varying experience levels, from competitive runners to families and first-time participants.

What to Expect

Run for Outreach takes place at Tryon International in Mill Spring, North Carolina. The venue offers a scenic race setting with trails, rolling hills and views of the surrounding foothills.

Participants may choose between the Tryon Half Marathon or the Fall for the Foothills 5K. Both races are professionally chip-timed and include post-race refreshments. Top finishers will receive hand-crafted clay awards created by local artisans.

Half Marathon participants will receive a commemorative race shirt and finisher medal. Fall for the Foothills 5K participants may purchase a race shirt during registration.

Who Can Participate?

Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are welcome. Whether participants are working toward a personal goal, joining their first organized race, or walking with friends and family, the event is designed to be accessible and community focused.

Volunteering Since: 2001

Barbara is our longest-serving Outreach volunteer and a cherished member of our Thursday afternoon intake team.

Barbara has helped create a sense of comfort and belonging for countless clients over the years. She also volunteers at our bowl table for Empty Bowls fundraiser each year. We are deeply grateful for her extraordinary commitment and the difference she has made in our community through more than 25 years of service at Outreach!

Fun Fact: Barbara has been painting since the 1970s, and some of her artwork can be found right here on Outreach’s walls!