An annual charity golf tournament is on tap in Henry County with the intention of increasing awareness of veterans issues.
The Match, as it is called, is scheduled for Monday, May 8, at Eagle’s Landing Country Club in Stockbridge. Organizers say it will bring together veterans and supporters of the Montford Point Marines and the Tuskegee Airmen to bring more attention to veterans’ causes in the community.
Those who support the tournament will be helping raise money to fund programs and community engagement activities such as scholarships for deserving students as well as youth mentoring programs. Among those is a science, technology, reading, engineering, art, and mathematics training (STREAM) program “which instills in children an appreciation for the academic skills, moral character, proper conduct, dedication and discipline necessary to succeed,” according to a representative.
The Match is open to the public, and anyone interested in playing can register at https://bit.ly/thematchatl. Showtime is at 8 a.m. and start time is at 9 a.m. The website will also allow you to review the scholarship opportunities to determine your ability to support.
The Montford Point Marines and the Tuskegee Airmen are 501(c)(3), all-volunteer nonprofit veterans organizations. According to their representatives, both are committed to preserving the legacy of the first African Americans allowed to serve in the United States Armed Forces.
“The actions of these pioneers were instrumental in ending segregation in the military and paved the way for future generations to serve. These brave pioneers set out to make a difference and ended up making history,” according to one spokesman.
“While the Tuskegee Airmen were breaking the color barrier during the air campaign in World War II by having an unmatched record for bomber escorts, the Montford Point Marines were breaking the color barrier during the ground campaign by succeeding and exceeding all expectations during some of the bloodiest battles of the war, both proving that African Americans were just as capable of defending the nation as their white counterparts. For their heroic service, both the Tuskegee Airmen and the Montford Point Marines were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service and sacrifice to this nation.”
More information can be found at atl-mpma.org, the website for Atlanta Chapter 5 of the Montford Point Marines.
