New Orleans’ Mackel weekend opened Friday with plenty of football star power and a purpose bigger than the leaderboard. A celebrity scramble featuring Pro Football Hall of Famers Ed Reed and Rickey Jackson helped turn a day at Bayou Oaks into scholarship funding for children of first responders across Greater New Orleans.
The LCMC Health Mackel Celebrity Scramble took place Friday at Bayou Oaks at City Park’s South Course, kicking off the amateur golf championship that continues Saturday and Sunday. According to WDSU, Reed and Jackson were joined in the field by WDSU’s Darryl Forges and Raven Richard. Fletcher and Travers Mackel hosted the event in honor of their late father, Frank Mackel, and LCMC Health workers.
The Mackel Fund Targets First Responder Families
The money has a specific destination: The Mackel Scholarship Fund, created by the Kelly Gibson Foundation to support children of first responders in the Greater New Orleans area. The foundation says proceeds from both the celebrity scramble and The Mackel will support the fund, with scholarships scheduled to begin in 2027, according to its scholarship information. Eligible families include those of law-enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS and EMT workers, emergency dispatchers, National Guard members, healthcare professionals and specialty support personnel.
The tournament’s family connection runs deep. The Mackel was established in 1993 and renamed after Frank Mackel’s death in 2001, and the official Mackel site says his sons have continued building it into one of the region’s premier amateur championships. The 2026 championship is set for Saturday and Sunday at Bayou Oaks, with men’s amateur divisions for golfers ages 16 and older who meet the tournament’s local residency and handicap requirements.
