RamWire: Folds of Honor Bag Carries CSU Ties
Cilek believes program holds valuable lessons for her players
Mike Brohard
A simple conversation can be enlightening and lead to even greater things.
Such as the one Colorado State women’s golf coach Laura Cilek had at a convention over the summer. Which led to a conversation with Folds of Honor.
Folds of Honor then had a conversation with Katelyn Williamson, as well as her father, SFC Retired Charles W. Williamson III, and then again with Colorado State.
All of them led up to the chats Gabby Minier had over the span of two days at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Tournament Feb. 17-18 in New Orleans, La. Some observant participants and spectators wanted to know all about the bag she was carrying as she led the Rams with a three-round total of 227.
Instead of her name on the side, it was that of Charles, and she was more than happy to fill them in on the program which honors disabled veterans.
“There were a couple of people, a couple of parents,” Minier said. “They were curious what it meant, what it represented. I explained it was a Folds of Honor bag, and we were honoring a man who served and it was an honor for me to hold it. It was nice to tell people it was good to represent somebody else.
“It was an honor for me to represent him. He served for our country and let us do what we’re allowed to do here.”
Which was the point for Cilek, who felt it was important for her program to join numerous others throughout the country doing the same thing, including Colorado State’s men’s program.
Her players will represent themselves on the course, and naturally the university. The list keeps going. Consider family, coaches and the pack they call their teammates. All of them are important, as is the game they love to play. Yet for Cilek, the bag becomes a reminder a bad day or a dreadful round pale in comparison to what others may have – or be – experiencing.
“It’s just a good way for them to play for something else, and especially when you can find someone who is tied in with the university and the community,” Cilek said. “It’s pretty cool. It gives them a different perspective.”
Williamson’s ties to the school add another layer to the bag. Through Folds of Honor, all three of his children received scholarships to attend college, and his daughter Katelyn, is a senior at CSU who is closing out her degree in biomedical sciences with a minor in biochemistry.
“I thought it was kinda cool, interesting,” Katelyn said. “I didn’t know that was really a thing that happens, but it’s a really cool and neat way to honor service members. I got an email from Folds of Honor, hey do you want your dad’s name on a golf bag? That’s how I found out about it.
“I’ve talked to him a little bit about it. I love CSU. I think we do a lot of good things.”
It was an honor for me to represent him. He served for our country and let us do what we’re allowed to do here.CSU Women's Golfer, Gabby Minier
Cilek doesn’t want Charles to be just a name on a bag, however. She wants his relationship with the team to go much deeper, and with him living in Colorado, she invited him to meet "his" new team, which he did on Monday, along with his dog Token, who he is training to be a service dog.
Charles met with the team for about 45 minutes, talking about his service and his dark times, about leadership and being a mentor. He also wanted to express his gratitude for what the team is doing. In the end, he hoped one simple message came through to the golfers.
“No matter what you do through life, just remember where you came from and the direction you’re going,” he said.
As a coach, Cilek feels the meeting will serve a great purpose for the members of her team – some from other countries – to hear his story and what it means to serve a greater cause. With his background, she’s confident he can help her team understand what it means to truly overcome obstacles.
She asked him questions, as did a few of the golfers. With introductions behind them, Cilek believes the team will have a greater appreciation of their participation in the Folds of Honors program.
"I think they got to see a lot more of what people who work in the service do for us, that you don't necessarily know, and what they still have to deal with even when they get back, what they struggle with after putting their lives on the line for us" she said. "It's really good for them to see the adversity they're going through, there are always things bigger than golf.
"I think they got to see how cool it was for him that they're doing that. He genuinely thought that was cool."
Minier had a bit of background on the Folds of Honor program, but just a sprinkling of information on Charles himself.
After Monday, she carries a deeper appreciation for what carrying the bag meant.
“It was nice to get to know him, and see what he's done and all that he's done for our country," she said. "It was great to know I was carrying a bag for someone I'm proud of, and it's nice to know we have people like him in our world."
Charles served almost 17 years in the military, a career which began as an armor crewman, holding every position on a tank. He was active for Operation Desert Storm, serving at the same time as his father, only in different units. He finished as a recruiting station commander, amassing a slew of awards, badges and ribbons along the way. His service ended when he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2005, and after spending his life as a soldier – which was all he wanted to be as a youngster – he lost some direction.
He said he locked himself away from life for six years, spending 16 hours a day playing video games. It was through a veteran’s program he went on a fishing trip, and since then, he’s served as a mentor for others who have become lost for a time like he became. He does so through the River Deep Vet-To-Vet Mentor Program.
“Nature is what saved my life, honestly. After locking myself in my basement, I was able to go through this non-profit to Alaska and do a fishing trip,” Charles said. “When I came back from Alaska, I told my wife, life really is worth living. I attended a few more events as a participant, and now I volunteer full time. Seeing and talking to these guys -- because I’ve been there, done that -- I can relate to them. When you take a veteran recently out the military, whatever branch it is, or somebody who is a recluse who has locked themselves away, you get them out in nature, whether it’s fishing or hunting, or whatever it is, and you see that smile on their face. You can see the light bulb just come on. It’s like, OK, there is life after the military.”
Who the bag represents is not the end of the story, as Charles will tell you he is an extension of the country he served through the military.
Minier understands wholly. Her grandfather served, as did her great grandfather. She was honored to carry his bag, and if you ask why, she’ll be more than happy to have the conversation with you.