Somewhere out there in Moore County, four high school seniors just got an extra Christmas bonus they won't know about until spring.

With a 16 percent increase in scholarship donations, the Tin Whistles Education and Research Foundation of the Pinehurst Country club will boost the value of the awards by $2,000, raising them to $12,000 for this year's four recipients.

Funding of the TWERF scholarships comes from Tin Whistles members and friends. The 2006 campaign raised $48,179, a substantial increase over the previous year.

Near the end of this school year, a committee of Tin Whistles members will visit Moore county schools and interview the local candidates. Four will be selected.

At present the club provides scholarship funds to 16 students, many of whom have chosen to further their education in North Carolina.

This is the 28th year this golfing group has contributed to the TWERF fund to benefit Moore county students.

Alumni who benefited in earlier years are now among the regular contributors each year, as are many friends of the area who know about TWERF and support its scholarship campaign.

John Derr

Pinehurst