COAL GROVE — To honor a beloved high school teacher who passed away and to help a fledgling civic group get its start.

Those are the goals of the upcoming John Jones Memorial Golf Scramble sponsored by the Coal Grove Lions Club.

Jones, a teacher and baseball coach at Dawson-Bryant High School, died suddenly in his sleep last fall. He was 46 years old.

Coal Grove Lions Club Vice President Tom Carey said Jones’ death was a shock. He also said Jones was well liked by everyone and had a big heart.

“We in the Lions Club felt it was fitting to honor John,” Carey said. “This one won’t be the last (event).”

Jones’ wife, Janet, is also a teacher, and recently agreed to be an adviser for the newly formed seventh-and eighth-grade Leo Club at Dawson-Bryant Middle School. Carey said there was a need to split the high school and middle school students into separate clubs, and the response by the younger students has been tremendous.

Last year the Leo Club was formed at the high school and became the largest in the state.

“The whole thing is to teach them (the students) how to give back at a young age,” Carey said.

When the Leo Club was formed, the CG Lions Club gave the group a start up donation of $400. Carey said the organization aims to do the same for the middle school club, thanks to funds that will be raised from the golf scramble.

The golf scramble is set for Saturday at the Ironton Country Club. Lunch will be provided at 12:30 p.m. with the game beginning at 2 p.m. There will be door prizes, hole prizes and first-and second-place prizes awarded.

The cost is $50 per person for a three-person team. Hole sponsors are also needed and are $50 per hole.

Carey said the response for the scramble has already been good, with 15 of the 20 available team spots filled.

“It’s all for a good cause,” Carey said. “To help people in the community and to help our kids learn how to mix and mingle and contribute to society at a young age.”