Frisco’s Briar Club’s Lasting Impact Across Frisco
From the beginning, Frisco has been known for its people – people who strive to make their community truly one-of-a-kind. At the heart of every thriving community is the need for its residents to take part in building a foundation on legacy and generosity.
The Briar Club of Frisco, envisioned more than 25 years ago by founding members of the popular and well-known Stonebriar Country Club, helps provide unparalleled support to families in need through the funding of local charities like Frisco Fastpacs and Small World With Love. The idea for the unique Briar Club came from the Salesmanship Club, a widely-recognized philanthropic organization known for its annual association with the Byron Nelson golf tournament.
The Briar Club of Frisco is made up of generous philanthropic men who strongly believe in doing what it takes to provide the essential support needed for some of the smaller local Frisco charities. “We believe in a hand up, not a hand out, approach to charity,” says Bob Campbell, the club’s president. “It’s our philosophy that just because we cannot help everyone or with everything going on in today’s world, it’s no excuse for not helping where you can. That’s what we try to do – be a positive organization enabling the local community.”
The Briar Club’s golf tournaments, of which there are several throughout the year, are hosted only for members, and they do them for fun. “Our philanthropic activity comes from each member donating a minimum of $400 per year to our foundation. However, many members donate $1,000 or more each year!” Mr. Campbell says.
“We very selectively grow our membership. Four years ago, we only had 60 members. Today, we have 100. We want members who understand that while we do have golf tournaments, that’s not our main focus. Our focus is philanthropy. So, while we will consider growing our membership, it’s not an open invitation or an endless number. If the right kind of people want to join, including non-golfers, we will consider them!”
In addition to fundraising for the above-named charities, at the Briar Club’s annual dinner, Mr. Campbell, an amateur landscape painter, auctions off several of his paintings. While his paintings generally sell for $150-500, he donates 50 percent of his sales to the group’s charities. Several generous Briar Club members have paid up to $500-6,000 for his paintings during the dinner event. Even though they were outbid, many bidders have even agreed to apply their bids to the Briar Club Foundation. “That’s the kind of men we have as members,” Mr. Campbell shares.
The Briar Club’s highly anticipated annual dinner event is attended by the benefitting charities Frisco Fastpacs and Small World With Love. Through the Briar Club’s financial endowments and donations, other local philanthropic endeavors can expand their generous influence on those who need it most.
Small World With Love
Small World With Love, a designated not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is a partnership of Dallas/Fort Worth area schools, communities, and businesses. The charity’s mission is to assist struggling families, focusing especially on the needs of area children. Small World is committed to addressing the void in students’ daily needs like food, clothing, and emergency funds. Small World even brightens the holidays by providing various presents found on children’s wish lists. The distinct and vital mission of helping children and their families is accomplished while maintaining the anonymity of donors and recipients. Small World facilitates scholarship, back to school, and angel programs.
Small World began in 1996, born from one teacher’s vision of working together and committing to caring for the less fortunate. The organization offers child-focused programs that are available regardless of belief, ethnic background, or gender. After starting in Frisco, Small World has expanded to McKinney, Little Elm, and The Colony and continues to grow into other nearby areas.
15 years ago, Don Bolen, a former member of the Briar Club and the Small World board, facilitated this long-lasting relationship between the two groups. Because of this association, the Briar Club has significantly impacted Small World. Small World manages a scholarship selection process and mentors students through their time at Collin County Community College. The Briar Club fully sponsors two-year scholarships to include books and tuition for each student.
Small World works with the Frisco ISD to identify gifted students with high academic results who may come from families that would be considered low-income. At the annual Briar Club fundraising dinner, guests generally hear from a past Small World scholarship awardee who is now an adult and benefitted greatly from this outstanding cause. They enthusiastically share what their own Briar Club-funded scholarship has meant to them and how it has changed their life. “We’ve had a doctor, a lawyer, and a commercial real estate professional speak to us about what the Briar Club scholarship has meant to them,” Mr. Campbell shares.
Thamara Millan, the CEO and founder of Small World With Love, shares, “Through sponsorship deals, donations, and entry fees, the Briar Club raises substantial funds each year, all of which are dedicated to scholarships for deserving students in the Frisco area.”
Small World believes in making a real difference in kids, one student at a time. Ms. Millan says, “The impact of the Briar Club’s efforts provide financial assistance to students from the Frisco ISD. This great group of men is breaking down barriers to higher education and opening doors for many recipients facing significant financial constraints that would otherwise hinder their ability to attend college.”
From the beginning of their partnership, the Briar Club has maintained the belief that education is a truly powerful force for transforming lives. “Community college can be just the right stepping stone to get someone started in a productive professional life. That is what we want to enable and support,” Mr. Campbell shares.
Over the years, the Briar Club’s ripple effects of generosity have been profound. Graduates who have benefited from these scholarships have gone on to pursue successful careers and become leaders in their fields and industries. “We continue to partner with them for as long as they will have us. Together, we serve the segment of our city in need that is wishing to receive college educations. It is easy to see how much the Briar Club truly cares and provides. With memorable events and grateful local charities, the support from this organization has created a lasting legacy for its members,” Ms. Millan says.
To learn more about Small World With Love, make a donation, or find volunteer opportunities, visit smallworldwl.org.
Frisco Fastpacs
Frisco Fastpacs regularly delivers weekend meals to all Frisco ISD campuses, providing free food for more than 1,200 children to ensure they do not go hungry when school is not in session. Every week throughout the school year, Frisco Fastpacs delivers individual, pre-packed meal bags of non-perishable food to local schools. Each bag contains seven meals for these children to have over the weekend. Frisco Fastpacs is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates entirely on food donations and funds from the private sector.
In 2017, a member of the Briar Club invited the Frisco Fastpacs founder, Marian Schulze, to the annual dinner event to speak about the organization’s mission. Ms. Schulze recalls that there was not a dry eye in the house after she told of Frisco Fastpacs’ beginning – feeling a calling from God to do something about childhood hunger in our area.
The men of the Briar Club found a new charity partner that night and have never wavered in their support since. Hunger in Frisco is a problem that often goes unnoticed in a busy city surrounded by growth and prosperity. Children should never fall victim to this serious need for food. A student who is hungry, at no fault of their own, simply cannot learn. In the beginning, Frisco Fastpacs only served one school and 35 children. Currently, the charity is proudly present district-wide and feeding more than 1,000 students weekly. While this outlet for local students is tremendous, the need of the community’s children only continues to grow. Mr. Campbell shares, “Kids cannot learn if they are hungry. We can help fix that.”
Obviously, the children that Frisco Fastpacs serve benefit the most from this successful partnership. “The generosity shown by the men in the Briar Club is overwhelming, and we could not do what we do without them,” says Heather Canterbury, the executive director of Frisco Fastpacs. “The support Frisco Fastpacs has received from the Briar Club has impacted the lives of thousands of children in our community over the past seven years of our partnership.”
“Frisco Fastpacs enjoys working with the Briar Club because the club’s selfless members have such servant hearts. They have each joined a philanthropic club that specifically raises money for hyper-local charities in their community. Each year, new members join, which creates an opportunity to share our mission with them and renew our bond with current members who are already sharing our message though their circles of influence in the Frisco community and beyond,” Ms. Canterbury says.
Volunteers can make a difference through food drives and both small and large group volunteer opportunities at Frisco Fastpacs. To donate and make an immediate impact on a local child, go to friscofastpacs.org.
Because of the Briar Club’s generosity and commitment, Small World With Love and Frisco Fastpacs can pursue their organizations’ missions and make a real difference in the lives of others in this wonderful community. The Briar Club’s willingness to fill needs in our community is a testament to the kind of men they are as they seek to continually utilize their time, gifts, talents, and ideas to help others. There is no cap on generosity. Everyone can make an impact!
