Durham named president of Booster Club

Published 9:12 pm Saturday, August 11, 2007

MOULTRIE — After beating out a pair of seniors for a starting job on the offensive line for the Moultrie High football team in the spring of 1970, David Durham learned that his father had been transferred to a job in Albany.

Durham made it clear he did not want to spend the next two years at Albany High.

“I didn’t want to wear orange and green (the Albany High colors),” he said. “I was Packer.”

Durham finally convinced his parents to let him live in Moultrie with his grandparents the next two years and he went on to start at guard and linebacker on the 1970 and 1971 Packer teams coached by Bud Willis that went a combined 17-3.

And it is that doggedness and commitment to Packer football that Durham brings to his new role as president of the Packer Booster Club.

Durham, who operates Bull Durham Insurance and Investments, succeeds Ricky Hartley, who was the Booster Club president the last two years.

The Booster Club is currently involved in its annual membership drive and Durham said efforts have been paying off.

The number of Booster Club members is at about 400, up from the 355-360 who joined last year.

And the drive is continuing, Durham said.

Individual memberships are $125 a year. Membership for a couple is $150.

As usual, Packer Booster Club members receive a wall plaque, meals at three events during the school year, their name in the football program and parking at home football games.

Durham said boosters should have plenty of parking adjacent to Tom White Field at Mack Tharpe Stadium this season.

In addition to parking in the paved lot behind the south end zone, additional parking will be available in area that once held the old Willie J. Williams Middle School.

The school was torn down earlier this year and the area is covered with grass. It has already been used for parking at graduation in May.

The next function that boosters can attend is the annual Meet the Packers fish fry, which will be held at 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Those who have not joined the club, but who want to attend the fish fry, can join at the door that night.

Himself a longtime booster, Durham said those who join should know that their contribution does not go just to fund the football program.

“We spend no more money per player on football than we do for golf or for any other sport,” Durham said.

Funds raised go to send athletes to camps, to purchase awards, to provide banquets and purchase equipment.

Durham said he hopes to build on the excellent job done by Hartley over the last two years and wants to get Booster Club membership up to 600.

He will get plenty of help from the Booster Club executive board, which includes vice president Dr. Robert Brown; secretary Lauri Jo Bennett; treasurer Tony DeRosso; Hartley, as past president; and Schools Superintendent Leonard McCoy.

Durham said he also will form an advisory board made up parent representatives from each sport offered at Colquitt County High.

“That way, we (the Booster Club) can see what they need,” Durham said.

Colquitt County has student/athletes in more sports than any other school in Region 1-AAAAA.

Colquitt County fields teams in baseball, boys and girls basketball, cheerleading, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls diving, football, boys and girls golf, gymnastics, riflery, boys and girls soccer, softball, swimming, boys and girls tennis, boys and girls track and field and wrestling.

Anyone interested in joining the Booster Club can contact him at 985-1415 or send a check made out to Packer Booster Club to P. O. Box 811, Moultrie 31776.

Durham and his wife, the former Debbie Smith, have four children: Donna Edwards, Drew, Davis and Diana.

Davis is following in his father’s footsteps and is a member of the Packers football team. He also is involved in the Colquitt County High baseball program.