NATCHEZ — Patriotism will be taken to another level when the first Miss-Lou Patriotic Golf Tournament comes to Duncan Park golf course Saturday.

The tournament is sponsored by Home with Heroes Inc., a private, non-profit 501c3 corporation dedicated to helping veterans and their families. None of the officers or board members receives any compensation.

G. Mark LaFrancis, a veteran and Home With Heroes president, said the tournament is a four-person scramble with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. Refreshments and registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

Home With Heroes Foundation was created nearly a year ago by G. Mark LaFrancis, veteran and foundation president, and Jimmy Allgood, host of Redneck Adventures and a staunch supporter of veterans. It is licensed by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office as a non-profit corporation.

LaFrancis said Home With Heroes is “a dream come true” for him and Allgood.

“We would talk for hours about ways to help veterans, and now we have that organization in place,” LaFrancis said.

LaFrancis said the foundation would be involved in several major activities.

“One of our chief projects is to establish a year-round series of retreats for veterans who have some form of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury),” LaFrancis said. “The need is great for some type of get-away for these individuals who have served our country bravely. Our retreat will provide that experience, but also will be have lots of Redneck flair, which Jimmy Allgood specializes in.”

Another project is the one-day excursions to the National World War II Museum in New Orleans. LaFrancis said the foundation, in partnership with Miss-Lou Tours, plans monthly trips to the museum.

“This is an extraordinary museum that should not be missed by anyone, not just World War II veterans,” he said. “We will soon announce our excursion schedule. Of course, World War II veterans will not pay a dime for the experience.”

LaFrancis said he is excited about the list of future activities the organization has planned, but the first step is to raise the money for those events to take place.

That’s where the golf tournament comes in.

“We decided we need a fundraiser to give us seed money to do the wonderful activities we have scheduled for veterans and their families,” LaFrancis said. “I said why don’t we do a golf tournament, and Greg Brooking (Duncan Park golf course director) was able to give us a good date right before the Fourth of July. People will be in a patriotic mood. It’s our first fundraiser. We hope to raise several thousands of dollars.”

Duncan Park will be draped in patriotism, as several American flags will wave all around the course.

Allgood said the event would be unlike anything people in the area have seen before.

“Most tournaments do a ball drop out of a helicopter, but what we’re going to do is, individuals can buy American flags for $25 and we will put a big circle of flags out in Duncan Park,” Allgood said. “Everyone would place a flag within the circle with their name and information, and a few key veterans will come and choose a particular flag and two lucky winners will win part of the proceeds of that activity.”

The foundation already has launched a Facebook page — Home With Heroes — and LaFrancis said he hopes there will be major support of the golf tournament and donations.

“There will be a lot more that our foundation will do. However, we would appreciate your financial support,” he said. “Donations are accepted through our Paypal account: homewithheroes@live.com or by check to our address: Home With Heroes, 317 Highland Blvd., Suite A, Natchez, MS 39120. A web site — homewithheroes.org — will be launched soon.”

Allgood and LaFrancis said they are still looking for more volunteers to help with the event.