Make plans to attend the annual honors banquet!
Tuesday, Mar. 4, 2008
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Middle Tennessee Chapter has been selected as the Outstanding Chapter in the Southern Region!
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UPCOMING EVENTS and ANNOUNCEMENTS

Notes from Art Demmas

One of this year's presidential candidates, former Senator Fred Thompson and former Senator William H. "Bill" Frist were co-recipients of the chapter's 1995 Fred Russell Distinguished American Award.
Other chapter notable recipients of this award are former Tennessee Governors Winfield Dunn and Ned Ray McWherter. Admiral William P. Lawerence received this award in 1978 and then the chapter honored him by naming the scholar-athlete award The Adrmiral William P. Lawerence Award. .

 

Annual banquet -  Tuesday, March 4, 2008

The annual honors banquet for the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the National Football Foundation and the College Hall of Fame was held on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, at 7:00 p.m. at the Millennium Maxwell House Hotel.

The Banquet gives the Hall of Fame Foundation, along with all of Middle Tennessee, an opportunity to honor 55 high school and  (7) college scholar/athletes who have distinguished themselves not only as football players but also in academic and leadership achievements. We will be awarding $500 scholarships to all our high school scholar/athletes and recognizing outstanding community leaders and great Americans by awarding the Fred Russell Distinguished American Award and the Roy Kramer Contribution to Football Award.

Join us on the 4th and help us honor these outstanding young men for their leadership and all their accomplishments. The cost of a table is $500 and it will seat 10 guests (four for your use and six for the scholar/athlete, his parents, principal and coaches). Your contribution is, of course, tax deductible. Your participation as a table sponsor makes it possible for us to continue the tradition of honoring our athletes.

Support one of our scholar/athletes! Purchase a table, by mailing your contribution to Scott Brunette, 2601 Bransford Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee 37204. Checks should be made out to the National Football Foundation/College Hall of Fame.

42nd Annual Awards Dinner Program-2008

*note you will need Adobe "Free" Reader to open the Dinner Program

 

2008 BANQUET PHOTOS

*click on photos to enlarge

 

"THE 2008 DREAM TEAM"

BANQUET -1

BANQUET -2

BANQUET -3

BANQUET -4

Brenda and Tommy Squires

former Tennessean Prep writer Tommy Squires with wife Brenda enjoying the 2008 Banquet

Former Distinguished American Award winner Coach Ed Temple

with Directors Parker, Thomas, and Taft

"ZEBRAS"

at the banquet for award winner Steve Swift.......a great group!

PAT and DIRECTOR DAVE MALONE

COACHES KRAMER and BROWN

Coach Watson Brown - Tennessee Tech visiting with Mr & Mrs. Roy Kramer

"FIREBIRDS" from Pearl-Cohn

"Hit a B-B with a clothline"

Coach Boots Donnelly explaining to the crowd how well Honoree Gerald Johnson told him he could hit a baseball...................that is some eyesight!

THE GOVERNOR and THE PRESIDENT

NFF President Bob Sullins assuring "Distinguished American" Honoree Governor Phil Bresesen that public speaking is not that tough!

A GREAT TIME

Sandra Pigue, Dona Elrod, Nancy Sullins, Director Steve Gregory, and Coach Jackie Bledsoe

"RAIDERS" from McGavock

"SPARTANS" from Stratford

HONOREE GERALD JOHNSON

Table for the family and friends of "Kramer Award" Honoree Gerald Johson


Historical recollections by our First Chapter President - Art Demmas

Forty years ago, Fred Russell hosted a luncheon at the the Cumberland Club which was then in the L&C Tower for the purpose of organizing NFF&CHoF chapters in Tennessee. Among those in attendance were George Volkert, Sewanee’s Bishop Julian, Alf Sharp, Vernon Sharp, Al Beaman, Harry Welford from Memphis, a gentleman from Knoxville, Cotton Clark and a couple of others that I simply cannot recall their names.

As a result, I was selected as the president of the new Middle-Tennessee Chapter. Other Chapters were also formed in Memphis and Knoxville.

The first Scholar-Athlete was Cohn High School’s Butch Stinson. Since I was ( still am ) a member of the Downtown Nashville Exchange Club, I made this initial award at one of the Club’s Tuesday luncheons at the Hermitage Hotel.

We grew rapidly, honoring Scholar-Athlete Barrett Sutton ( MBA ) & the first Distinguished American Award recipients the following year ( Alfred Adams and Dr. Tom Zerfoss).

Our spring dinners over the years have been in several different locations: Vanderbilt University Club, Airport Marriott, Airport Hilton, Vanderbilt’s Stadium Club, Hillwood Country Club, Loew’s Hotel across from Vanderbilt and now the Millenium Maxwell House.

The Chapter’s presidential line went from myself to Roy Kramer, to Dick Philpot, to Charlie Hawkins, and now Bob Sullins

As you know, the chapter’s growth has been very impressive, considering that this year we will honor (53) area High School and (7) area collegiate Scholar-Athletes and award over $20,000 in scholarships

Art Demmas


© 2006 National Football Foundation of Middle Tennessee