Durham takes reins of TD Club as membership drive begins

Published 7:43 pm Saturday, June 10, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Longtime community activist and Colquitt County football supporter David “Bull” Durham is taking over as president of the Packer Touchdown Club.

And he takes office as the varsity team is coming off a berth in the state semifinals and has the potential to duplicate or surpass that success this fall.

“I’m excited about this season,” Durham said. “Coach (Sean) Calhoun has done a great job. We won the region championship and made it to the Final Four last year.

“People are looking forward to this season.”

Colquitt County returns its football staff intact from the 2022 season in which the Packers won the Region 1-7A championship and went 13-1 in Calhoun’s first season as head coach.

Calhoun helped lead the Colquitt County offense as an assistant coach in 2014 and 2015 when the Packers went a combined 30-0 and won back-to-back state championships.

As Durham pointed out, the Packers are 43-1 with Calhoun in Moultrie.

Packer Nation’s optimism in the 2023 season is already being felt as the Touchdown Club membership is increasing.

Donations to the Touchdown Club go to:

• Meals for ninth-grade through 12th-grade players throughout the year.

• Paying for the team’s participation in 7-on-7 and organized team activities (OTAs) during the summer.

The Packers have already participated in one 7-on-7 tournament at Florida State University and also will compete at the University of Florida and the University of Georgia this summer.

• Paying for student/athletes to participate in individual camps to help them prepare for the season and possible college scholarships.

• Putting on the annual football banquet.

• Nutritional supplements for the team.

• Maintaining the Colquitt County Packer football website, located at colquittcountypackerfootball.com.

• Producing hype and highlight videos to showcase the football program.

The Touchdown Club also will sponsor its annual Meet the Packers banquet at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 10, at the high school cafeteria. A seafood buffet will be served.

There are five levels of Touchdown Club memberships. The core benefits for all memberships include listing in the annual football program, parking pass for the south end zone lot and two free passes to the Meet the Packers banquet.

• Associate (individual/couple/business) membership is $150 and includes the core benefits.

• Touchdown Partner Membership, which is $500, includes recognition on the stadium patronage sign and a Packer Touchdown Club golf shirt.

• Black and Gold Circle, which is $1,000, also includes recognition on the stadium patronage sign, a Packer Touchdown Club “Black and Gold Circle” golf shirt and a parking pass for entry to the north end zone VIP lot.

• Boar Hog, $2,500, including recognition on stadium patronage sign, coaches apparel team shirt, admission for two to Colquitt County sports unlimited banquet and parking pass for north end VIP lot.

• Coach’s Circle, $5,000, recognition on stadium patronage sign, coaches apparel team shirt, admission for two to Colquitt County sports unlimited banquet, parking pass for north end VIP lot and admission to coaches post-season party.

Parking passes and shirts can be picked up at the Meet the Packers banquet or at Bull Durham Insurance on South Main Street.

The Colquitt County cheerleaders will again publish the annual media guide and weekly programs for home games.

In addition to Durham, the 2023 Packer Booster Club board includes past president Ricky Griffin, vice president Demetrius Walker, secretary Darrell Moore, treasurer Tony DeRosso and board members Durwood Dominy, Steadman Taylor, Jason Jacobs, Jim Matney and Dug Schwalls.

Durham has long been involved with Packer football.

He started on the offensive line and at linebacker for the 1970 and 1971 Packer football teams that went 17-3 under head coach Bud Willis. He was one of the three captains of the 1971 team.

His son Davis was an outstanding safety for the Packers from 2007-2009 and daughter Diana played softball for the Lady Packers.

Durham was the Packer Booster Club president from 2008-2010 and has been on the Touchdown Club board since its inception in 2011.

He served as the head coach of the Pineland School football team for one season and coached recreation sports for 26 years.

But his community involvement has not been confined to sports and in 2022 was honored by the Moultrie-Colquitt County Chamber of Commerce as its Man of the Year.

He was a founding member of the Boys and Girls Club of Moultrie-Colquitt County, has served as president of the Colquitt County Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has been instrumental in fund-raising for the United Way of Colquitt County.

A founding member of Heritage Church, he also sings in the choir and at other events throughout the community.

Fans interested in joining the Packer Touchdown Club can send their donations to P.O. Box 2813, Moultrie, 31776.

Durham can be reached at 891-5541 for 985-1415.