By Bart Moss / For the FCT

The Franklin County Baptist Association will host its eighth annual Franklin County Baptist For Nicaragua golf tournament June 8 at Twin Pines Country Club.

The tournament was started by Mike Norton as a fundraiser to help raise money for a school in San Rafael Del Sur, Nicaragua, in 2010.

“We started with building a church in the poorest part of the city,” explained Norton. “The church is called Mount Horeb Baptist Church.”

The same fund that is being used to support the school and church in Nicaragua was also used to ship 30,000 pounds of relief supplies to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.

One hundred percent of the proceeds from this year’s tournament will go the Nicaraguan school to pay teacher salaries.

“It is a great time, a great cause, and most importantly, it helps us reach beyond our borders and make an impact in place where it so desperately needed,” explained Norton. “This community is really appreciative of our association’s efforts, and the relationships we’ve made have enduring.”

The tournament starts at 1 p.m. Friday. The tournament is a two-man scramble format.

The cost to enter the tournament is $100 per person, which includes lunch.

There is big prize money for the top teams: $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place. There will also be a drawing for $250 for a team between first and last place.

The cost to sponsor a hole is $250.

For more information contact Norton at 256-710-7237.