Fourteen teams tested the greens and putted through a bright and sunny Saturday morning at the Cherokee Rose Country Club for the eighth annual Henry “Hank” White Memorial Golf Tournament.
The four person teams were competing for the best score and a chance to win a car or truck, but more importantly they were helping young adults earn scholarship money.
That has been the legacy of White, the former chairman of the deacons’ board at First Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. White was the state chaplain for the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He and his wife, Josephine, traveled the state with the church and organization, doing what they could to help children attain better education.
“We always try to remember his legacy and what he did for the community,” tournament director Derrick Taylor said. “And in that same spirit all of us here want to do the same thing. We know that for our young people education is the key to success, so our focus and our drive is to make sure we can provide that avenue for them.”
Six people were presented $1,000 scholarships this year.
Matt Brown, Sha’Leia James, Joshua Weston and Morgan Fermin were four of the six scholarship recipients who were at the tournament helping the organizers and earning community service hours for volunteering. Brown is headed to Georgia Southern, James studies at Claflin University, Weston is going to Valdosta State and Fermin will attend the University of Georgia, like her older brother, Bradwell Institute band director Jeremy Fermin.
Sideeq Heard and Tyshajuana Stevens also received scholarships but were not able to attend the tournament. Heard is attending Howard University and Stevens is at Fort Valley State.
Taylor and Henry White Jr. welcomed the teams and thanked them for their continued support throughout the years.
“It gives us joy and we really appreciate everyone’s participation,” Taylor said.
The tournament was still in progress as of press time. The winners will be announced in an upcoming edition of the Courier.