The essentials of their professions require area funeral home owners and insurance agents Pastor Sammy Townes and his wife, Katherine Townes, to stress preparing for the future. That’s also why the Grenada, Miss., residents recently established a $500 Townes Funeral Home Scholarship to be awarded annually to a Delta State University undergraduate or graduate student who lives in adjoining Yalobusha County, maintains a GPA of at least 2.5, and demonstrates financial need.
“My wife and I are firm believers in education. We also believe that education is the key to take our community to next level,” said Pastor Townes, who was born in nearby Scobey. “Therefore, we moved to start the scholarship fund to help students in the county advance their educational pursuits.”
The couple’s personal experiences navigating the sometimes choppy financial waters of higher education also motivated them to give. He received a scholarship to play basketball at Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs. She relied on student loans to attend Mississippi State University.
“We are well aware of the economic needs of students and parents in Yalobusha County, so we felt compelled to help,” continued Pastor Townes, who leads Springhill North Missionary Baptist Church in Water Valley in Yalobusha County and Travelers Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Greenwood in close-by Leflore County. “We hope that our scholarship will help students reach their academic goals.”
