CULLMAN, Ala. – Cross Creek Golf Course was packed for the inaugural John E. Hunt Golf Tournament Saturday with 34 teams made up of 136 players out on the course competing. The proceeds from the tournament go towards each year’s John E. Hunt Memorial Scholarship fund. The first scholarship was awarded to Cort Chandler earlier this summer and after a successful first tournament Saturday, next year’s scholarship is well on its way to being funded.
John’s wife, Elizabeth, was happy to report the massive turnout and knows John would’ve been excited to see so many within the community come and show their support for a cause he believed in.
“We are grateful, we are humbled and blessed. We didn’t expect this kind of a turnout for the first year and it’s just incredible that so many people came out and gave us their time and helped us raise money for the Auburn University scholarship in John’s honor,” Hunt said. “He would’ve been so honored to see so many people come out. He would’ve been so excited, and he would’ve shaken everyone’s hand.”
John’s daughter, Lauren, was also at Cross Creek Saturday and was excited to see so many participate in an event honoring her father but is even more excited about what Saturday’s success means for future projects within the community.
“We’re very thankful for this turnout. We did not expect this for the first year and it’s just an honor to have been able to set up this scholarship in his name. That’s just a little something we can do to honor him. He put three kids through Auburn, so we thought that was the best way to honor him right now. He always believed in higher education and always believed that everyone should be able to have the opportunity to do something,” Lauren said. “We’re very thankful that we get to do this and get to help a student and their family follow their dreams of going to school and I know in the coming years we’ll have some other ways we’ll be able to honor (John) and give back to the community. He was all about community and always had a passion for kids and watching them grow and succeed.”
Like Lauren, Elizabeth is also excited to see what more they’ll be able to do to both honor John’s memory and give back to the community in the future.
“I think next year our goal will be to help more with park & rec events. John really enjoyed doing the Thanksgiving community dinner and I know a lot of churches do that as well,” Hunt said. “Grover Reeves started that, and John joined in with him so next year we’ll be looking at other ways we’ll be able to honor John and help within the community.”
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