NATCHEZ — Birdies and eagles will replace merit badges at Beau Pré Country Club Thursday when the Boy Scouts of America hosts a gold tournament to benefit the children of the Andrew Jackson Council.

The Andrew Jackson Council is the collection of troops in southwest Mississippi — which includes approximately 250 children — and tournament organizer Jim Hargon said this tournament will help some of the less fortunate members of those troops.

“In the Natchez public school system there are a lot of single mothers who can’t afford to have their kids go to summer camp,” Hargon said. “The money raised goes into a pot, and we give what we call scholarships to those kids, so they can go to camp.”

This is the first year for the tournament, but Hargon hopes to have a good crowd come out to play in the four-man scramble tournament.

The cost is $75 per person and $300 per team, and hole sponsorships are $100. There will be a lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 12:30 p.m.

Door prizes will be given and each par 3 provides the opportunity to win a vehicle.

Signup sheets are available at Beau Pré, the Duncan Park pro shop and Panola Country Club.

For more information contact Jim Hargon at 662-671-9564.