Friday, January 17th, marks the fourth annual Seth Alexander Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament & Silent Auction in Pascagoula. The event is a celebration of life that honors Seth while also bringing the community together for continued fellowship and healing.
Seth played golf for Pascagoula High School and was playing for Hinds Community College when he died in a single-vehicle, no-fault car accident, leaving golf practice on a Sunday afternoon in October of 2021.
Seth’s parents, Ricky and Elizabeth (Beth) Alexander, wanted to do something to honor their son, and his Dad, Ricky, felt a golf tournament would be fitting.
“Ricky and Beth are so loved. Ricky played in the 1987 State Football Championship for Pascagoula; he’s a true-blue Pascagoula guy who is kind and hard-working. I saw so many characteristics of Ricky in Seth. Seth would love this event. It’s a family event, and that’s what Seth was all about,” said Lance Thompson.
The Seth Alexander Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament and Silent Auction occurs every January at the Pascagoula Country Club.
“Pascagoula Country Club has seen a downtick because we don’t have the number of residents we used to have; many moved north after Katrina. It’s been tough, but Pascagoula is tough. Seth loved playing golf here and had started a GoFundMe for “Green Support” to keep it going. It just makes sense that this event would occur here,” Thompson said, highlighting the community’s resilience and the strength of its bond.
“A little over a month after our son went to heaven,” Beth shared, “we really wanted to do something to honor him. The community support for this has been amazing; it could not be any better. The first year we did this, we raised $60,000 and had a waitlist of golfers. That is more than we ever expected!”
Since then, the event has provided 61 scholarships in the last three years, totaling $122,000.00. This year, the event is set to provide 20 scholarships at $2,000 a recipient. Currently, Seniors at Pascagoula High School and Resurrection Catholic School are eligible for scholarships for a four-year college or a vocational-tech program.
“It’s all about students furthering their education in one way or another,” Beth shared. “We also encourage the recipients to pay it forward or give back to their communities one day. Seeing their faces light up when they receive their scholarships is fantastic.”
The committee that puts on this event consists of 20-30 Pascagoula community members who use their time, talents, and expertise to make it all happen.
“We have never had to ask for anything,” Beth shared. “Our community is amazing; we could not have gotten through this without our friends and family.”
The Alexanders never imagined that the event would grow this big, but it is no surprise to them, as they express, “That’s just the Pascagoula way.”
“The night we found out about Seth, about 30 minutes after the police came, we had people showing up at our house, and they were there until daylight,” Ricky shared.
“And they still show up for us; they’re not going anywhere,” Beth expressed. “Our healing process will continue to go on until we are no longer here… that’s just the way it is. But our friends, family, and community members are not going anywhere—and I don’t think everywhere is like that. People in Mississippi are strong in that way. ”
Click here to learn more about the Seth Alexander Memorial Scholarship Golf Tournament & Silent Auction in Pascagoula.
