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AUGUSTA, Ga. — CBS sportscaster Jim Nantz will call his 40th Masters Tournament this year. And ahead of that, it was Nantz who got the recognition of the CSRA’s four mayors April 5.
The Masters Mayor’s Reception is a 26-year tradition begun in 1999 with the purpose of honoring those who’ve been influential in the game of golf while also promoting the impacts the sport has had on the community. Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson co-hosted Saturday’s reception with Columbia County Chairman Doug Duncan, North Augusta Mayor Briton Williams and Aiken Mayor Pro Tempore Ed Girardeau. Not only the Masters, but Nantz had anchored NCAA Basketball until this year.
It’s basketball that kept him from being in Augusta for the reception: as Augusta’s Johnson noted, Nantz’s alma mater, the University of Houston, played and defeated Duke in the Final Four the same night. But plenty others were there at Augusta Common to have the spotlight, including a group from Team Rubicon, the international volunteer organization that specializes in disaster relief. According to Mayor Johnson, volunteers have been in and out of Augusta in the past six months, helping with storm recovery.
North Augusta High School Girls Basketball was recognized for winning their sixth state championship title this year. The North Augusta High School girls basketball team was recognized for earning its sixth state championship this year. It’s a tradition during the reception to honor high school teams from Richmond, Aiken and Columbia counties that secure a state title.
Other teams to get a moment on stage were the Aquinas High School girls soccer and Butler High School boys basketball teams, both in Augusta; and the Greenbrier High School girls wrestling team in Columbia County. Tara Claitt of Tara and the Snacks stepped down from the stage to perform the last of her set on the Common. Live entertainment from Tara and the Snacks, Jonathan Wilson and DJ Brandi Renae set the stage before and after the CSRA’s four leaders had their say.
A fireworks show was scheduled to end the evening. And just as in years past, the reception didn’t stop at conferring honors but continued on to make a financial contribution. Augusta’s Via Cognitive Health, which recently opened its new center on Washington Road, is this year’s beneficiary.
All proceeds from this year’s Mayor’s Masters Reception went toward Via’s mission of serving those with cognitive decline from either Alzheimer's or a related dementia. Augusta’s Johnson said that Via was chosen in connection to honoring Nantz, whose father suffered from Alzheimer's..
