Halford gets 5K scholarship from NWTF
BY BRUCE BRANUM
The Greenville Standard
Shayln Halford, a Fort Dale Academy senior and cheerleader, received a special surprise Monday, April 5.
She was the recipient of a $5,000 scholarship from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) and their local chapter in Butler County, the Camellia Longbeards.
At the presentation, Rick Bourne, who is a land broker for Southeastern Land Group and Camellia Longbeards member, stated to Halford that the scholarship was made from three different groups.
The Longbeards funded $500, NWTF funded $1,250, and the rest came from sponsor and individual donations at the Camellia Longbeards Hunting Heritage Banquet on March 19.
Alex Boggan, who owns Alabama Restoration and is president of the Longbeards and NWTF member, said it was the largest scholarship ever given by the local chapter.
Bourne said to Halford, “We are very happy to do this.” She replied, “Thank you so much, this means so much to me.”
After Shalyn’s picture was taken receiving the scholarship, she headed straight home to show her parents, Bridgette and David Halford.
She plans to use the scholarship to attend LBWCC and ultimately pursue a nursing degree at Troy University.
Bourne and Boggan explained that at the annual Longbeards banquet they typically give $500 each from the local and national organization. When they learned of Shalyn’s father’s ordeal with cancer, they asked sponsors and attendees of the event if they would be willing to give extra for her scholarship.
They had hoped to double the $1,000 the Longbeards and NWTF were giving but the blessings of extra donations flowed to the amount of $3,250.
At the last auction of the night, NWTF auctioned a turkey call for nearly $750 and those proceeds also went towards Shalyn’s scholarship.
The list of sponsors include: Rick Bourne – Southeastern Land Group, L&L Properties, Langley’s Associated Grocers, Skipper & Sons Constrution, Warren Williamson, MTI, Brian Moss – State Farm, Alabama Restoration, Masters Rehabilitation, Rebecca Butts, Greenville Equipment, Cauthen Electric, Bryan’s Tree Service, Daniel Branum, and Ballew Builders.
