Chillicothe VA now offering disc golf course to the public

Shelby Reeves, Chillicothe Gazette
Updated ·2 min read
Associate Director Dr. Robert Taylor thanked Micah Shanks, President of Project Bad Apple, a community partner in this project for his hard work during the official opening of the disc gold course.
Associate Director Dr. Robert Taylor thanked Micah Shanks, President of Project Bad Apple, a community partner in this project for his hard work during the official opening of the disc gold course.

CHILLICOTHE— The Chillicothe VA Medical Center recently opened a new disc golf course, allowing people to spend more time outside and enjoy the VA campus.

Disc golf is a popular sport where players throw a flying disc at metal baskets around the course, it has similar rules to golf. Chillicothe has several other disc golf holes in Yoctangee Park and at the Ohio University Chillicothe campus.

Matt Cox, employee whole health coordinator, said the VA had the nets for several years but just recently put together the plan for a course. He said disc golf is a great way for veterans, employees, and community members to get outside and enjoy nature. Plus it gives them a way to view parts of the VA campus that are often missed when driving by.

"We want to have the community out here to see the VA," said Cox.

Cox worked with Micah Shanks, president of Project Bad Apple, and a community partner in this project, to design the nine-hole course. This course, however, will soon be expanded as the VA is expecting the add another nine baskets soon.

The ribbon cutting for the Aileen Cole Stewart Disc Golf Course on the Chillicothe VA campus officially took place on April 11, 2023.
The ribbon cutting for the Aileen Cole Stewart Disc Golf Course on the Chillicothe VA campus officially took place on April 11, 2023.

During the grand opening, the VA also dedicated the field, officially naming it the Aileen Cole Stewart Frisbee Golf Course. Born in 1893 in Piqua, Stewart was one of the first African American women to serve in the Army Nursing Corps. She started her career at the beginning of World War I and would help establish a field hospital in West Virginia as well as care for dying rail workers.

She would eventually be moved to Camp Sherman where she took care of African American soldiers and German prisoners of war who were segregated. Later in life, she would earn her degree in public health nursing from the University of Washington. Stewart would live to be 104 dying in 1997.

Alan Graves, VA public affairs officer, said when looking at naming this course the VA knew they wanted to honor a female veteran and after looking through history decided that there was nobody better than Stewart as she was hard working and a trailblazer.

"We are proud to have this disc gold course named after her," said Associate Director Dr. Robert Taylor.

The disc golf course is officially open for all to enjoy on the VA campus. It will be playable from dawn to dusk.

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Chillicothe VA now offering disc golf course to the public