NATCHEZ — Once again, one of Natchez’s most famous athletes will be giving back to the community with a couple of round of golf.

The 16th annual Joe Fortunato Celebrity Golf Classic begins Saturday morning and will wrap up Sunday evening at Duncan Park Golf Course.

Fortunato, a former Pro Bowl linebacker with the Chicago Bears, is hosting the event, which is raising money for the Miss-Lou chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame’s annual scholarship awards given to one student-athlete from each of the seven local high schools.

“When we started this event, we wanted to do something for the area schools,” Fortunato said. “We wanted to raise money for scholar athletes from each school and decided to have a golf tournament. The first one was so successful that we decided to do one every year.”

Last year, the foundation gave a total of $10,000 to the seven scholarship winners, and Fortunato expects this year’s tournament to raise that much as well.

“Everything we make at this tournament we give for the scholarship,” Fortunato said. “We’re proud of that. We plan on giving $10,000 this year as well.”

Fortunato said the scholarships, given at the foundation’s awards banquet each year, is a worthy cause for which to raise money.

“When they go up to the stage to receive their award and their coaches talk about each one of the athletes, you can see the look of pride in their face and it makes it all worthwhile,” Fortunato said. “We feel good about being able to do something for the student athletes.”

Fortunato said between 150 and 200 people have already signed up for the tournament, which will feature former Kansas City Chiefs running back Nolan Smith.

There will also be a hole-in-one prize as well as prizes for closest to the pin and longest drive.

“Everyone really has a great time and enjoys themselves,” Fortunato said. “It’s a great chance for people to go out, have a good time and help out the student-athletes in the area.”