Delta Classic raises UA scholarship funds
July 26, 2006Contact Information:Holly Yeatman, 479-575-2347, hyeatman@uark.edu
DELTA CLASSIC SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS ATTENDING TOURNAMENT -- From left, Drew Ligon of Poplar Grove and Robert Moery of Carlisle.
FIRST FLIGHT WINNERS -- The Malone's OK Tire team of, from left, Mike Ervin of Lonoke, Jim Throgmorton of Jonesboro, Josh Wilson and Bill Malone of Helena, and Darrin Malone of Paragould, won the first flight of the Delta Classic July 15 at Helena Country Club, which raised more than $35,000 for crop management and environmental science scholarships at the University of Arkansas. 
SECOND FLIGHT WINNERS -- The Valent team of, from left, Chase Milligan of Dumas, Rob Weir of England, Brian Winter of Tupelo, MS, and Rob Callahan of North Little Rock, won the second flight of the Delta Classic July 15 at Helena Country Club, which raised more than $35,000 for crop management and environmental science scholarships at the University of Arkansas.This was the seventh year for the annual tournament. Forty students have already received scholarships from the fund, Bacon said.
Delta Classic scholarships for the 2006-2007 school year were awarded to Sammy Booker of Marion, Jarrett Gibbs of Marion, Andrew Gill of McGehee, Brent Johnson, Steven Ussery and Josh Wilson of West Helena, Keisha Koehn of Omaha, Ashley Lewis of DeQueen, Drew Ligon of Poplar Grove, Robert Moery and Lawson Plafcan of Carlisle, and Ryan Siebenmorgen of Fayetteville.
Over 120 players representing 30 companies participated in the four-player scramble. Prizes were awarded to the top teams and to the closest to the pin, longest drive and longest putt.
The Malone's OK Tire team of Mike Ervin of Lonoke, Bill Malone and Josh Wilson of Helena, Darrin Malone of Paragould, and Jim Throgmorton of Jonesboro, won the tournament‚s first flight. The Valent team of Rob Callahan of North Little Rock, Chase Milligan of Dumas, Rob Weir of England, and Brian Winter of Tupelo, MS, won the second flight.
"Including today‚s tournament, the Delta Scholarship Classic has raised over $154,000 since 2000," Bacon told participants. "Your involvement has made it possible for the department to award scholarships to 40 new freshman students ˆ most of them from the Delta. The department and the students who have received these scholarships certainly appreciate the sponsors, donors, players and volunteers who have made this happen."
Johnny Roach of Monticello organized this year's tournament. A salesman with Hornbeck Seed Company, Inc., he is a member of the CSES Alumni and Friends group established in 1999, which started the tournament to help recruit students. The tournament's co-chairman, Adam Compton of North Little Rock, is a salesman with Helena Chemical Company of England. Compton is the incoming chairman of the CSES Alumni and Friends group and will be organizing next year‚s tournament.
Roach said, "The members of CSES Alumni and Friends put in many hours to put together the tournament. In addition to awarding Delta Classic Scholarships to students for the past seven years, we have been able to put aside $70,000 toward the endowment of the James L. Barrentine scholarship. This year‚s tournament will put us a step closer to reaching our goal of $100,000 for the endowment."
Other CSES Alumni and Friends who helped organize and participated in this year‚s tournament were Dean Bell and Brad Koen of DeWitt, Matt Cordell of Lonoke, Brian Cornelious of Marion, Josh Cunningham of Lonoke, Otis Howe of Little Rock, Glen Kernodle of Wynne, Darrin Malone of Paragould, Dale Reed of Gillette, Scott Rushing of Jonesboro, Mason Bennett of Jonesboro, Gerald Wilson of Germantown, Tenn., and Ritchie Workman of Little Rock.
Sponsors and donors included Adams Fertilizer Equipment, Ag Chem, Ag Heritage, Ag Pro, Allen Canning, Bank of Fayetteville, Bayer CropScience, Black Hawk Warehouse, Bumpers College, Cache River Valley Seed, Cheminova, Coco Distributors, Dean-Henderson Equipment, Delta & Pine Land Seed Company, DuPont Crop Protection and Pioneer Hibred, Farm Bureau, Farmers & Merchants Bank, First Bank of the Delta, N.A., Mary Louise Demoret and V. Poindexter Fiser, Fuller Seed, Gerber Products, Gillette Grain Services, Inc., Graves Enterprises, Griffin Gin Company, H & M Lumber Company, Helena Chemical Company, Helena National Bank, Hickory Hills Pharmacy, Horizon Ag LLC, Hornbeck Seed Company, Inc., Isle of Capri, Jimmy Webster, Lawhon Farm Services, Inc., Mack's Prairie Wings, Malone's OK Tire, Mid-South Ag, Monsanto, Producers Rice Mill, Inc., Producers Tractor of Helena, Progeny Ag Products, RiceTec, Inc., Riceland Foods Foundation, Southern Agronomic, Stanley & Company Crop Insurance, Stratton Seed Company, Bob Scott, Dr. B. Alan Sugg, Syngenta Crop Protection, UAP Midsouth, Valent, and Western Auto of Forrest City.