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The Babbitt Golf Association awarded their highest honor, a free life membership, to Merle Vandervest and Jim Lassi in recognition of their contributions to the course.
Vandervesthasbeenamemberof the board of directors for 19 years, including the last 16 in a row. Merle serves on the grounds committee and is the go-to guy who gets things done. When we the course was flooded this year, he worked tirelessly with the grounds crew to drain the water. He then organized a crew to repair the cart paths that were washed out.
Several years ago when the course were experiencing a severe drought that threatened to ruin our greens, Merle was instrumental in getting a well digger to drill two wells, and electricians to wire up the pumps. He has donated countless hours for many years to improve the cart paths, repair our water system, replace the septic system, repair our furnace room, build a concrete slab that stores our sand, repair and replace maintenance equipment, purchase the fleet of rental carts, and other things too numerous to mention. He is also a member of the Scholarship Scramble committee and has personally accounted for tens of thousands of dollars in donations. He has unselfishly donated hundreds of hours to make the golf course better.
Lassi is one of two charter members who are still playing golf. The BGA was chartered in 1962. Jim has been on the board of directors since 2001, and has been the BGA secretary since 2003. He has been the chairman of the Scholarship Scramble for 25 years, and has logged a couple thousand hours running the tournament. He has volunteered many weekends to help with tournaments at the local course. He has been computing the handicaps for all members since 2001.
During his tenure as secretary, Jim has researched the association archives and has documented a complete history of the golf course, including how it began, all the officers and board members, and notable events from each year. Lassi helped secure a $30,000 grant from IRRRB to drill two new wells.
He was instrumental in petitioning the IRS to change the charitable status of the course from a 501c4 to a 501c3. This made contributions to the course tax deductible, and made it possible for the BGA to sell pull tabs. Jim was a leader in getting pull tabs for the course, and also obtaining a liquor license that will provide added revenues to help ensure the continued operation of the course.
Since the BGA was chartered, only nine members have been awarded a free life membership. The first one went to Dr. Donald Haase in 1969. Haase was one of the earliest doctors at the clinic in the 60s. The next was awarded to Ed Furness in 1974. He was the president of Reserve Mining in Silver Bay. The others went to golfers: Ernie Pinola in 1994; Harold “Bucky” Backman in 1996; Merle Rauvola in 1996; Sulo Nuorala in 2001; Walt Vojacek in 2002; and then Vandervest and Lassi in 2024.
