August 9, 2021 | BY EARNEST WILLIAMS
Flat Creek Golf & Country Club, Peachtree City, Georgia was the site of the 16th Annual Bulldog Golf Tournament for 2021, with strong participation of 132 golfers, played a well-maintained layout of the Homestead and Old Mill 9s… With a brief program to welcome golfing guests and a prayer of goodwill by the Chapter Chaplin, Julia Morrison-Morgan, everyone enjoyed a fun-filled and rewarding day of golf.
During the past 4 years, the Metro Atlanta Alumni Chapter (MAAC) of Alabama A&M University Alumni Association has awarded over $120,000 in scholarships and tuition assistance to deserving students attending Alabama A&M University (AAMU) from the metropolitan Atlanta area. The annual golf tournament generates a large portion of the funds used for these scholarships.
This tournament incorporated all known best practice COVID-Adopted protocols for the safety and care of our participants and volunteers. Where feasible, we encouraged everyone that participated to have secured complete vaccination prior to the tournament. Our cadre of twenty volunteer alums wore both masks and gloves as an added measure of caution.
“The Metro Atlanta students we support are talented, intelligent and are our leaders of tomorrow. We recognize, more than ever, continued support of local students is needed,” said a statement from Billy Young, co-Director of The Fellowship Open. As a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, proceeds from this tournament, annually, benefits the Ernest J. Clements, Jr. Scholarship Fund. Mr. Clements, a 1960 graduate of AAMU, was a dedicated member of our chapter and pioneer educator within the DeKalb County School System.
The tournament included an array of contests with Hole-In-One Contests on all Par 3s; and a $5,000 Cash Award available on the Homestead’s Course signature Hole #5 that played 179 yards. The Longest Drive Contests for the Women and Men were won, respectfully, by Jackie Great and Jeremy Willis, PhD., founder of Priority Toxicology Laboratories, Union City, Georgia. Dr. Willis taught Organic Chemistry at the collegiate level (2004 to 2014); and dedicates his time helping young African American men pursue their life goals of becoming physicians and chemists globally.
One of the highlights of the annual tournament is its signature Awards Luncheon, earning high praise, for the exquisite catering services of Chef Shombe, very well known throughout the country and most notably the Metro Atlanta area.
The Men’s Winner’s Circle included the low scores of 58 (-14), 59 (-13), and a back-nine tie-breaker for four teams with scores of 60 (-12). In the Women’s Winner Circle the team of Patricia Myatt Davis, Wanda Bailey Jenkins, Beverly Reid, and Jackie Great, with a score of 74 (+2), are all members of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and the Heron Bay Women’s Business League.
Youth was well served throughout the day as Chapter President Jermaine Ralph played host to freshmen from the Metro Atlanta area as they came to the tournament to receive their Freshman Send-off Gift Bags, an annual tradition of the MAAC.
Bridging generations was well served as our youngest golfer was Robyn Sanders, 12 years old, the daughter of Robb Sanders, a Class of 1994 AAMU Alum. Robyn, playing golf for 5 years, is a member of the Junior Ladies Professional Golf Association based in Peachtree City.
To cap off the day, the always generous highly anticipated Premium Raffle was led by 2021 National Alumni Association Alumnus of the Year, Shelbia King, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Much excitement was created for the array of raffle items, and the raffle was facilitated digitally. A colorful continuously spinning wheel selected raffle participants names at random determining winners. This was broadcasted “live” on a large projector screen, generating anticipation, and holding the attention of all attendees.
Article submitted by Earnest Williams, Tournament Chair. 404-520-9500. EarnestLW@aol.com; Natashia Reese: SocialMedia@aamuatl.org.
