How One Golf Ball Purchase Sparked the Largest Donation in IDS History

Some stories sound too unbelievable to be true. This is one of them.

It all started with longtime Institute for Disability Studies supporter Kevin Lewis, who logged onto the Whatnot auction app looking for golf equipment. His plan was simple: buy enough clubs, golf balls, and tees to help IDS launch something we’d been dreaming about—a Special Olympics college golf team.

During the auction, the seller asked a simple question: “Why are you buying so much golf equipment?”

Kevin explained that it was all headed to IDS to help create opportunities for college students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

That answer changed everything.

Word spread across the Whatnot community almost overnight. Sellers began reaching out. Auctions were organized. Donations started arriving from every corner of the country. People who had never met our students—and in many cases had never even heard of IDS before—wanted to help make this dream a reality.

Boxes kept showing up. Then more boxes. And then even more.

By the time the deliveries stopped (at least for now), our campus was overflowing with generosity. Our Community Volunteer Club rolled up their sleeves and unloaded mountains of equipment, but one enormous task still remained: figuring out exactly what had arrived. That job belonged to Natalie.

She spent countless hours opening boxes, sorting equipment, counting every item, organizing donations, and creating a complete inventory. Thanks to her patience and incredible attention to detail, we discovered just how extraordinary this gift truly was.

The final count?
🏌️ 2,648 golf balls
🏌️ 490 golf clubs
🏌️ 73 golf bags
🏌️ 212 headcovers
🏌️ 649 grips
🏌️ 1,640 tees
🏌️ 315 hats
🏌️ 105 cleaning tools
🏌️ 177 additional golf accessories

It’s the largest in-kind donation in IDS history, worth upwards of $60,000. And along with it? Several thousand more in cash raised through Whatnot auctions benefitting IDS.

And we’re putting every bit of it to work.

We’re thrilled to announce that IDS is officially launching a Special Olympics College Golf Team, with practices beginning next month. In August, volunteer golf coaches from across the community will help kick things off with a clinic designed to introduce our athletes to the game, build skills, and most importantly, have fun.

From there, our team plans to compete in regional Special Olympics tournaments throughout the year while continuing to grow the program for future student-athletes.

They’ll even take part in a hometown favorite—our 2nd Annual IDS Charity Golf Scramble on October 23.

If you’ve attended our tournament before, get ready for something extra special this year.

Many of the donated clubs, bags, and other equipment will become raffle prizes, giving supporters the chance to take home incredible golf gear while helping create life-changing opportunities for Mississippians with disabilities and their families.

As amazing as this story has already been… It’s still being written.

The Whatnot community hasn’t stopped.

On Saturday, August 1, multiple Whatnot sellers from across the country will travel to South Carolina for a special collaborative charity auction benefiting IDS. A significant portion of the proceeds will go directly toward supporting our Special Olympics golf program and other IDS initiatives, helping cover travel expenses, tournament entry fees, equipment needs, and additional programming that serves individuals with disabilities and their families across Mississippi.

It’s remarkable to think that a simple auction purchase sparked a movement of generosity stretching from coast to coast.

To every seller who donated equipment…
To every bidder who contributed…
To every person who shared an auction, sent encouragement, or gave without expecting recognition…
Thank you.

But because of your generosity, individuals with disabilities who once may never have imagined themselves stepping onto a golf course will soon be practicing together, competing together, and experiencing the joy, confidence, friendships, and opportunities that sports make possible.

That’s a legacy far bigger than golf. And it’s one we’ll never forget.