A Special Friend of the Shilts Family
On July 20, 2006, Jeff set a new WORLD RECORD for a one-armed player with a 263 yard verified tee shot in Scotland County, North Carolina! Channel 3 picked up the news item and we proudly watched it in Kalamazoo! Way to go Jeff!!
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Jeff Bardel is from Laurinburg, NC. Our family first met him when Mindi worked with him at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Golf Camp near Indianapolis, IN. We have maintained contact with him over the past 6 or so years. Jeff lost his right arm in an industrial accident when he was 18 years old and 4 days away from his college orientation. After 16 days in the hospital, Jeff started college at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. He transferred one semester later to Appalachian State University where he completed his Bachelor's Degree in Communications in 1998. After dedicating his life to the Lord while at ASU, Jeff began to speak at numerous church functions and youth camps. He first spoke at the Dick Shilts Basketball Camp in 1998, and appeared again as guest speaker at the Cougar Basketball Camp in 2003. He is currently attending Rhema Bible Training Center in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He participates on the school's intercollegiate golf team in the USCAA and NBCAA organizations. Jeff has won two prestigious Amputee Golf Tournaments, one in San Diego, CA, the other in Raleigh, NC. He has finished 5th and 4th in the Michigan Amputee Golf Outing held at Pine View Golf Club near Three Rivers, MI, and is hopeful of a higher finish in the 2003 event. His messages to our campers have been inspiring and uplifting, and his daily walk has reminded all of us in a powerful way that "the only disability in life is a bad attitude." Jeff's life continues to shine as a testimony to the power of God to touch others through his people.
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Jeff finished the Amputee Tournament with a 45-43 = 88 score to finish 3rd overall in the arm division. He was 14th in the tournament which featured over 80 contestants. He won long drive both days, closest to the pin both days, and a 50/50 raffle, so he racked in the gift certificates while having a good time! He headed back to Indiana late Sunday afternoon, for the long trek back to North Carolina. We wish him the best in the coming year, and we are blessed to have had him with us for a few days!