NATCHEZ — Former Southern Miss and Oakland Raiders elite punter Ray Guy has been to the annual Celebrity Player’s Tour golf tournament at Beau Pré Country Club three times.

And every year it keeps getting better, he said.

The tournament, which took place Thursday and Friday, benefits the Natchez Children’s Home Services. Guy said getting to see the children each year is the best part about making the trip to Natchez.

“This (Friday) morning, we got to go over there and see the kids,” Guy said. “They’re the main thing this tournament’s about.

“However bad I think I have it, seeing them always brings me back down to earth. You don’t know how good you have it until you see these children.”

Children’s Home Director Nancy Hungerford said the celebrities always make a point to visit the children every year they’re in town. Friday morning, after a quick breakfast, she let the celebrities tour the house and the new playground.

“In the past, (the tournament) helped fund the playground,” Hungerford said. “Now it’s done being built, so it’s special for them to see what we’ve already done, and to have fun.”

And that isn’t hard to do when the children enjoy the celebrities’ company so much.

“The preschoolers don’t know them from Adam’s house cat, but they know when it’s someone new and important,” she said.

“I told them that these were my friends. By the time they were done, (the celebrities) were pushing the kids on the swing sets.”

Old faces like Guy, Major League Baseball umpire Joe West and HGTV’s Kelly Edge were present. Several new faces were on hand, including former University of Alabama and NFL head coach Ray Perkins, former Mississippi State running back Hoyle Granger and minor league baseball players Cory Dickerson of McComb and Barry Bowden of Vidalia.

“We always love our long-time friends and players coming back, and we also live to mix it up and add some new ones,” Hungerford said.

Perkins said he’s been to Natchez before, but wasn’t aware of the Children’s Home prior to competing in this year’s tournament.

“I live in Hattiesburg, so it’s just a drive up for me,” Perkins said. “I’ve been blown away with what the Children’s Home does. They do a tremendous job with these kids.”