Funding for two students in honor of two late members

AMERICUS — They say that old soldiers never die; they just fade away. Not in this case.
Americus Investment Group members William “Junior” Bowens and Willie “Big Time” Boynton both recently passed away within months of each other. Both were former U. S. Army soldiers and combat veterans of the Vietnam War. Throughout life, on and off the battlefield, these brave men fought the good fight; now they have finished the race and have kept the faith and to God be the glory.
But these two old soldiers will not fade away any time soon because on May 13 at the Americus-Sumter High School Honors Program, several members of the Americus Investment Group were in the audience again to witness the presentation of annual scholarships offered by their organization. While two organization members were physically absent, they were most definitely spiritually present.
In honor of these two dearly departed members, individual $2,500-college scholarships were awarded to Benjamin Walters Jr. and Jasmine Little.
The Americus Investment Group was formed in 2014, when a group successful men who were born and/or raised in Americus, came together as investors in the stock market. It wasn’t long before the idea to offer scholarships to deserving students became a reality. With the exception of all but one, all of the members reside in the Metropolitan Atlanta area. Meeting once a month, these men come together to pool their financial resources to invest, learn, earn and prosper in the stock market. Like many blacks who came up in Americus in the ‘50s and ‘60s, there is a very special bond they share. It is a relationship akin to a bond shared by their ancestors who survived the horrific Middle Passage across the Atlantic Ocean in rickety, old slave ships. And having survived the hardships growing up in Americus, what better way is there to give back other than helping educate those who follow in their footsteps? The Americus Investment Group members are Calvin Mansfield, Johnnie E. “JET” Jones, John “Dent” Jordan, Ross Cleveland, Terrell Butts, Alvin Bowen, Earnest Brown, Robert Freeman, Marvin Boone and Will LeRoy Grimes.
— Submitted by Johnnie E. (Jet) Jones