Annual Christian Heritage Breakfast celebrates 20 years of giving

With the sounds of gospel music serenading the crowd of 500 people, the 20th annual Christian Heritage Breakfast honored student and professional athletes, along with the man who started it all Wednesday morning.

Twenty years ago, John Scott founded the breakfast for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to recognize area athletes who excel in athletics and education through their faith.

Twenty eight local school now participate. The group raises money for scholarships and to help athletes grow in faith.

A moment of silence was held shortly after patrons finished their food to remember Scott, who died recently.

“I want to thank all of you who have been here for years to share this message from a Christian golfer,” Gloria Scott, Scott’s wife, said. “John prayed the breakfast would go on long after he was gone, and I believe that God will make that happen.”

In Scott’s honor, the first “Sir” John Scott Memorial Award was awarded to Kayla Hasty, a senior at Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School.

As a member of her school’s basketball team and president of her school’s National Honors Society, Hasty helped grow the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes program from eight students to fifty. She has been accepted at South Carolina State University and said she hopes to bring what she’s learned through the organization with her.

“FCA has opened my mind to be a person of Christ,” Hasty said.

This year’s speaker was PGA Tour pro Ben Crane, who is participating in the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing.

Crane said his faith has guided him in many tournaments, but that the Hilton Head competition is one of his favorites.

“In my rookie year, I was making mistakes and hitting all over the place,” he said. “Now, I love this course.”

Throughout the years, FCA has donated thousands to students in need while creating an environment of faith and discipline.

“It saves a lot of young people from a lot of heartaches, a lot of headaches and a lot of broken roads,” Aaron Bush, the South Coastal FCA Area Representative for Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper counties said.

This story was originally published April 13, 2016 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Annual Christian Heritage Breakfast celebrates 20 years of giving."