LUMBERTON — The Lumberton High School class of 1961 has created a scholarship at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke to honor Alton G. "Tunney" Brooks.

Brooks served as athletic director as well as the football and basketball coach at Lumberton. The football field was named in his honor in 1989.

According to James Granger, the facilitator of the scholarship, the idea to create the scholarship in Brooks' name was spurred by the model pirate ship being built.

"The idea came about through the booster club," Granger said. "Dave (Bullock) is building a four-foot pirate ship that will be donated to the school, but we wanted to do more."

Granger said the plan is to fund a minimum of two $1,000 scholarships a school year, with a maximum of four to be granted. He added the scholarship will be open to male and female student-athletes at UNCP who exhibit character, maintain a 2.5 grade point average and has a financial need.

The scholarship will first be offered to a student-athlete at UNCP from Lumberton High School, if no athlete fits that criteria, then student-athletes from Robeson County will be eligible. If once again no one qualifies, then the scholarship will be available to any student-athlete at UNCP.

"The same sport can not receive two scholarships in the same year," Granger said. "We want to diversify the scholarship to all the sports at UNCP."

Granger added to say he has been "overwhelmed" by the donations from across the country because "the scholarship hasn't really been publicized."

To make a donation or for more information on the scholarship or the model ship, visit www.tunneybrooks.blogspot.com.