Ashley Meyer & Gabby Neilitz Receive 2025 Dye Family Award

First Tee – South Central Wisconsin is proud to announce that two chapter high school seniors have been selected to receive the $1000 Dye Family College Award this year. To be eligible for the award, an applicant must have been accepted into a 4-year or 2-year college for the first time, participated in the chapter’s programs or volunteered as a mentor, coach or member of the Youth Advisory Board for at least two years and have a history of community service. Both Ashley Meyer and Gabrielle (Gabby) Neilitz fulfill all of these qualifications with ease.

Ashley Meyer

Ashley Meyer is a 2025 Reedsburg Area High School graduate with a cumulative GPA of 3.7, who earned Academic All-State honors in her Junior and Senior years. According to her coach, Jesse L. Monte, Ashley was a two-year starter and letter winner on the varsity golf team. She was a great leader and motivator, consistently arriving early and staying late for practice. Coach Monte praised Ashley for not only working hard to better herself but also for pushing her teammates to improve every day. 

Beyond her athletic success, Ashley demonstrated her commitment to her school and community. She was a member of the high school competition show choir which, like golf, requires significant time management and dedication. Ashley also has volunteered for the past 3 years with the First Tee program at Reedsburg, a role she says has given her a chance to connect with her community and teach a sport that has brought her so much joy. She finds it rewarding to see the kids grow and learn basic golf skills, and an honor to be making “a real impact on young kids’ lives.”

Ashley’s commitment to volunteering extends beyond the First Tee program. She was also a member of Key Club, a service organization that organizes events like bake sales, cleanups, and supervising kids’ dances. Ashley believes that volunteering has shaped who she is as a person and is something everyone should prioritize.  

Gabby Neilitz

Gabrielle “Gabby” Neilitz is a 2025 graduate of Lincoln High School in Wisconsin Rapids.  She is a multi-sport and three time scholar-athlete, who maintained a 3.84 GPA while playing on the varsity golf, basketball, and softball teams. In her sophomore year, Gabby joined the High School Girls Golf team with no prior experience. That journey led her to become a participant in the First Tee program in Wisconsin Rapids which, she says, not only transformed her game but also positively impacted her life.  After gaining confidence and skills, Gabby became a mentor for younger students in the First Tee program and, in her senior year, was hired by the chapter as an assistant coach. “The fun conversations, little victories and uplifting environment are what I hope to share with these students as their mentor, just like I had as a student,” she said. 

Gabby’s dedication to service extends beyond the golf course. She volunteered for all four of her high school years at the Wisconsin Rapids Girls Hoops Basketball camp, an experience that was deeply personal for her. “Giving back to a program that gave me my love for basketball was very fulfilling,” she explained. Gabby also participated in Day of Caring, where she and her group raked yards for community members. After a neighbor gratefully asked them to rake his yard as well, Gabby realized, “how truly important helping out in the community is.”

College Plans

This Fall, Ashley will attend the University of Wisconsin-Lacrosse to study business finance and Gabby will attend the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point to pursue a degree in Health Science and Wellness: Pre Physical Therapy. The Dye Family and First Tee are proud to honor these two young people with the Dye Family College Award and wish them all the best in their future endeavors.