NATCHEZ &045; It’s not too late to sign up for the Joe Fortunato Celebrity Golf Classic.

The tournament, which will take place Saturday and Sunday at Duncan Park, could still use more participants, officials from the Miss-Lou Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame said Thursday.

&uot;It’s always a lot of fun. I think it’s one of the most fun tournaments around here,&uot; Scott Kimbrell Sr., a member of the foundation, said. &uot;The food and fellowship and prizes are good. It’s unusual because it’s a two-day tournament. For the price it’s a good bargain.&uot;

Entry is $125 per player. For more information, call (601) 442-5481.

Proceeds from the tournament go to scholarships awarded by the foundation to local scholar-athletes each year. At the banquet in February, the foundation gave away $9,250 to athletes from seven area schools who exemplified excellence on the field and in the classroom.

&uot;It makes you feel really good when those kids come up to get their plaque and scholarship,&uot; Joe Fortunato, the tournament’s namesake, said.

The golf tournament allows participants to play with former athletic stars from football and baseball. A few celebrities were forced to cancel for various reasons, Fortunato said, but there’s still a good group slated to come.

Besides Fortunato, a five-time Pro-Bowl linebacker with the Chicago Bears, several other former NFL and college football players will be playing.

Noland Smith, who played wide receiver with the Kansas City Chiefs, Paige Cothern, a former standout for Ole Miss, and Allen Brown, who was a tight end with the Green Bay Packers, will be there.

Bailey Howell, a standout basketball player for Mississippi State and the man for whom the award that goes to Mississippi’s top collegiate basketball player goes to, will be in attendance as well.

For Fortunato, the tournament is more about people than golf.

&uot;I really don’t play much, and I probably won’t play this year,&uot; Fortunato aid. &uot;I just enjoy being out there and talking to people.&uot;

Kimbrell, a former president of the Miss-Lou NFFHOF, said he’s been involved with the tournament longer than he can remember.

&uot;I enjoy doing things that are worthwhile,&uot; Kimbrell said. &uot;A lot of people that work on the tournament, even a lot of people that never come to a meeting work to make sure it can happen.&uot;