TIFTON - The Seventh Annual Methodist Children's Home Golf Scramble on Monday will conclude with a special guest who considers himself anything but special.

Sports writer and radio talk show host David Meckley will speak at the banquet following the tournament at the Spring Hill Country Club. Tickets to the 5 p.m. banquet are $25 and will be available at the door.

Meckley, or "The Meck," as he is called by friends and fans of his show, hosted his own radio program out of Dothan, Alabama for six years. His guests included such notables as sports commentator Bob Costas, former Atlanta Braves Fred McGriff and Denny Neagle, current Braves catcher Javier Lopez and Atlanta manager Bobby Cox.

In an effort to raise more funds for the Methodist Children's Home, Meckley has secured several items from Braves players that will be auctioned off during the banquet.

"Before the game (Thursday night) I sat down in the dugout with Bobby Cox and told him I was heading to Tifton and could he autograph a few baseballs," said Meckley during a telephone interview later Thursday evening. "He said 'sure Meck, whatever you need for the kids'." Meckley also said that the Braves skipper okayed the auctioning of his photograph to be made with the high bidder.

Also up for bidding will be several other autographed baseballs and four tickets to a future Braves game with the seats located behind home plate at Turner Field.

"Meck would say he's nobody," said Stan Wallace, minister of Education at Tifton's First Methodist Church. "But he seems to know everybody."

Wallace, who is one of the tournament coordinators, and Meckley became friends more than 20 years ago when they lived in Dothan. Before entering the broadcast arena, Meckley was a sound technician for several prominent evangelists.

In addition to his radio show, which was family and church related, Meckley produced a television show with Neagle and he recently completed a thirty second and a sixty second commercial for former president Jimmy Carter and the Carter Foundation. The commercial began airing this past Friday night on the Fox Sports Network.

When not attending to his production duties, Meckley devotes much of his time to churches, civic groups and other organizations in need. In fact, the theme of Meckley's message is "T.I.M.E. spells LOVE." He feels that the most important thing you can give, especially to children, is your time.

"It's great that these golfers are giving their time and Javy is giving these baseballs and Bobby giving the picture all for these kids," said Meckley who later added that everybody should be reaching out to help.

Meckley's influence came from a natural source, his mother, Eunice, who was a registered nurse and his father, Dick, who helped found the TPC in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

"My mother was such a giver," he said telling of how his mother once washed the lice out of a little girl's hair so she could enroll in school. Thirteen years ago Meckley's mother died from head injuries following a fall. She was on her way to give someone medical assistance.

"Thirteen years later, they still talk about her, Miss Eunice," said Meckley. "That's all she ever had, was time for everyone."

Dick Meckley's influence came from a different angle. A representative of Cleveland Golf, he battled alcoholism for much of his life. But according to Meckley, when his father died two years ago, he had been sober for 29 years. During that time he had befriended the likes of Masters champion Vijay Singh and Bobby Clampett. Dick Meckley's funeral service was held on the 17th green at the TPC where his ashes were scattered.

"I have a special place in my heart for these children in the Methodist Home because I know many of them come from alcoholic families," said Meckley.

"I'm so grateful to have this platform where I can help," he said.

"You know, Jesus didn't say 'build it and they will come,' like that line from the movie "Field of Dreams." He said 'go and tell it."

For more information on entering a team in the Methodist Children's Home Scramble or purchasing a ticket for the banquet and auction, contact Stan Wallace at 388-9936 or Darien Peavey at 382-8908.