b'GOLF WASHINGTONCreating Community at Camas PrairieMaisie Walker serves as courses first internby Tom Cade, Editor while allowing students to demonstrateMaisie put together a proposal, their abilities in a professional setting.outlining an environmental sustainability T here is some serendipity in everyonesI was looking for an idea of what toplan for the golf course, and sent it journey, and for Maisie Walker, a chance encounter led her to spend thisdo for this program, she said. After myto Bob Wheeler, the president of the summer serving an internship at a golfdad told me about the golf course in PortFriends Board of Directors. course and creating her future.Townsend, and what the managementWe hadnt been actively looking to Robert Horner, an architect andteam was trying to accomplish, I got verybring on an intern, Wheeler said. We designer by trade, is on the Board ofinterested.were still really busy just focusing on Directors of the Friends of Camas PrairieShe spoke with Horner directly, togetting the golf course going again. But Golf Park in Port Townsend, Wash. It isget more information about it, and thatMaisie being proactive in approaching us an all-volunteer non-profit group thatconvinced her.with the idea was very appealing, and we since January 1, 2024, has leased and nowMaisie had played on the golf teamthought this would work in our overall manages the city-owned 9-hole golf facility.while attending Cedarcrest High Schoolmission, so we came up with a plan. A man of many talents, Hornerin Duvall, in the Cascade foothills east ofShe then sent the proposal to Ken also co-owns Propolis Brewing in Portthe Seattle area.Yocom, the dean of the University Townsend, and while working behind theI know my way around a golfof Washingtons College of Built bar one evening last winter, he begancourse, she said. This seemed a greatEnvironments and is also a landscape chatting with one of the customers,chance to combine my two interests.architecture professor. Yocom is also telling of the Friends efforts in savingMaisies advisor. the golf course. At the end of theWheeler and Yocom conferred, and conversation, the customer, Robinthe two put the internship into motion. Walker, texted his daughter Maisie fromMaisie works about 20 hours a his seat at the bar, telling her she shouldweek on her internship project, and look into this.the golf course then pays her to work At the time, Maisie was a junior at thean additional 20 hours a week on University of Washington, majoring inthe grounds crew, where she works Environmental Studies.under Dylan Stanfield, the courses For her upcoming senior year, Maisiesuperintendent. For the duration of her needed to do an internship through the Capstone program, which requires that students apply their education and skillsAlong with the hours spent on her internship to a real-world project. These internshipsprogram at the golf course, Maisie (left) also provide practical, hands-on experienceworks 20 hours a week on the grounds crew at Camas Prairie, under the supervision of Superintendent Dylan Stanfield (right). 6 GOLF WASHINGTON| SEPT 2025'