Weatherford Democrat

July 1, 2009

Local project benefits Doss programs


WEATHERFORD – In a project begun last September, recycling was the main reason that Weatherford 9th grader Tucker Morton wanted donations of old boots to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center to help raise money for its Schnebly Educational Fund. The fund makes scholarships available for student campers and other educational programs.

Morton will be entering the 10th grade in the fall and has taken donations of cowboy, ropers, lace-up ropers, hiking and riding boots and sold them on EBay donating all of the profits to DHCC.

Tuesday Morton dropped off a check for $750 for the Doss Heritage and Culture Center’s programs. Morton has named his project “Boots for History II.” His EBay seller name is “bootsforhistoryii.

Morton is not finished with his project yet because he recently acquired boots from two notables from the rodeo world, former Champion Bull Riders Donnie Gay and Tuff Hedeman.

Gay won the World Bull Riding Championship eight times. He is a native of Mesquite and is now general manager of the Frontier Rodeo Co. and a bull riding analyst on PRCA telecasts for Fox Sports and ESPN. He was inducted into the Pro Rodeo Hall of Fame in 1979.

Richard Neale “Tuff” Hedeman was born in El Paso and is a retired 3 time PRCA World Champion bull rider, as well as the 1995 PBR World Champion, and is the current president of the CBR.

For more information on the Boots for History Project, contact Morton at bootsforhistory@gmail.com.