08/23/2026
A MESSAGE FROM Alyssa Holstay, Executive Director of Selflessservice:
For those who know me, you know that numbers (and math) aren’t really my thing… but there are others out there who live by them. Here is one of my favorite numbers from yesterday’s 3rd Annual Golf Outing to benefit selflessservice, Inc.: ⛳️
452.
That is the official “number” measurement for the longest ball shot in support of “Big Steve’s Big Shot for a Big Impact” - 452 yards.
My Dad, Steve Knisely (affectionately known to many as “Big Steve”) was a force on the golf course 🏌️, in the community 🫧💜💛, and in all of our lives. ❤️
He was an avid supporter of selflessservice, Inc., and played an integral role in helping us put together our organization’s 1st ever golf outing at Cumberland Golf Club in 2024. He sponsored holes, donated door prizes, put together teams - he even purchased an enclosed trailer just for us to use to transport all of the “stuff” we needed to make the outing a success.
In this, like in all other areas of my life and the lives of so many others, my Dad went above and beyond to help in every way he could.
At yesterday’s outing, I wanted to honor my Dad and all he did for the organization - and so we did, in the best way we know how — with a “big shot” in honor of his big impact.
Golfers were given the opportunity to fire off a shot from the tee of the 1st hole with our AR launcher in honor “Big Steve’s” legacy of generosity, community, and presence. Donations from this would be divided equally between our organization and another organization in the community that my Dad was passionate about.
The idea was a HUGE hit - that AR cracked so many times! The sound of shots fired was continuous and steady throughout the day. And it was LOUD - no matter where I was on the course, I could hear the echo - a constant reminder to me, and everyone on the course, of his presence.
So here is another number - 470.
Thanks to my Dad, we raised $470, half of which will be donated to the Boiling Springs Midget Football Corporation (BSMFC) - an organization that my Dad was incredibly passionate about. He coached Pony football for a number of years, and is the proud Poppa of both a football player 🏈 and a cheerleader 📣 in the program.
Back to the numbers - and why they aren’t really my thing - to me, these numbers are just that - numbers. They aren’t accurate reflections. The record for the furthest golf ball shot was 452 yards - but if you know my Dad, the reach of his impact was far beyond that… to those who knew him and loved him - and to me - it was immeasurable. 🫶🏽
I mentioned the sound of the AR and how it continued to “echo around the course throughout the day.” The word “echo” is loosely defined as “a sound heard after it is reflected off of something”, and/or a “repetition of sound”.
My Dad was a mentor to my sister and I (and so many others) in so many ways. His involvement in the community and dedication to helping the people within it was a huge part of who he was - and who I am, as a direct result.
My Dad’s legacy left some (really) big shoes to fill - and I have (really) little feet. I hope, pray, and aspire to be but a small “repetition of sound” in reflection of the man he was.
Thank you, to everyone who helped us make “Big Steve’s Big Shot” a success - and helped ensure his echo in our community, through me and so many others, continues to be heard.
-ak
PS: Stay tuned for more numbers from yesterday’s outing! (And more than likely, more REALLY long posts (😉) from me about why the numbers don’t matter to me as much as what they represent).
