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Lemm never dreamed her career as a professional golfer since 1989 would lead to work with children, teaching them life lessons learned from the game.
She joined First Tee in 2000 and led the construction of the golf course and the Jack T. Stephens Youth Golf Academy in Little Rock, which opened in June 2001.
"These things don't happen very often in one's career, and to do it in my home state is quite the dream," she said.
By the end of its first year, The First Tee had served 10,000 children by partnering with other nonprofits, going to schools and assorted programs, and teaching them core values such as honesty, integrity, sportsmanship and responsibility.
More than 2,500 children are currently members of The First Tee.
Lemm said she never dreads work.
"If you believe passionately in what you do, it's not work. It's not something that you do; it's something that you love," she said.
Lemm graduated from the University of Texas at Austin, where she received a full golf scholarship. She has served as a golf professional at courses in Arkansas, Texas and North Carolina.
