Dear Editor: The Newton County Home Builders Association hosted their first yard sale on Saturday, Oct. 3, and is pleased to announce that the association raised over $1,000 for our scholarship fund. Each year the Newton County HBA awards $500 scholarships to graduating seniors from Alcovy, Eastside and Newton High as well as to our two Partners in Education, Oak Hill and Livingston [elementaries]. In addition to supporting our local school system, the HBA awards two scholarships to children of members of our organization. This, our 11th year of awarding scholarships, the HBA will have given over $30,000 to further and improve education in Newton County.

Thanks to the dedication of our HBA volunteers and the support from the community we are well on our way to raising the $3,500 we need to meet our philanthropic goal.

The HBA thanks Newton Federal Bank for allowing us to set up on their property and the many volunteers who made the event possible: Teri Harris Joiner, Lewis Stephenson, Brian Burgoyne, Marilyn Goucher, Steve DuBois and Jared Rutberg.

We invited anyone wishing to assist us to support the upcoming Scholarship Sporting Clay Shoot on Nov. 18 at Burge Plantation. The HBA also has raffle tickets for sale for a two-man, half-day hunt at Burnt Pine for sale. Call the HBA for more details (770) 786-3333.