The Sock 'Em, Bust 'Em Board Because that's our custom

Let’s break the huddle

 

In the past 10 days, we’ve seen a lot of pictures, moving images that reveal both the depth of the devastation our state feels right now and the inspirational spirit people possess and provide to help get everyone and everything back to normal.

I think this picture is one of the best I’ve seen since the rain started to fall. It’s three players from Clay County’s football team — from left to right, Tyler Runnion, Zack Ferrebee and Bruno Bonura — and the picture came from their first-year head coach, Jason Nichols.

“Clay County football is rebuilding,” he wrote in a text message.

Indeed, the Panthers are once again standing tall, albeit in different colors and uniforms. So, too, will everyone else. Incrementally and yet inevitably, people are working their way out of this, and not surprisingly, people are helping others work out of this. It’s not over, not even close, but I’m just as sure we’ll get there.

We talked last week about what we could possibly do to help. What we’ve come up with is a simple idea that achieves our goal, which is to bring sports back to these towns. That at first was low on the list of things people needed, but it’ll work its way up higher and higher, and it’ll help folks inch back toward normal. I’ve talked to coaches and players from different sports at different schools and not one of them dared to consider the possibility they wouldn’t have a season. They want to practice and play and give people a reason to cheer and feel proud.

So here’s the plan: I’ve set up a PayPal account. No one’s taking a percentage from our goodwill. The email is mikec@wvgazettemail.com. If you can, send whatever you like. If you can, tell others. If they can, have them tell others. Facebook, Twitter, email chains, word of mouth, it’s all at our disposal.

I liked the idea of adopting a school or helping football teams find their footing, but I think the best thing we can do is help as many people as possible. So the money will go to the WVSSAC, and we’ll ask them to put it toward a specific need. We’ll make sure the affected schools, coaches, players, cheerleaders and whoever else is it that makes our high school sports the spectacle they are have what they need so they’re up to speed and in style in the fall.

This isn’t about one school or one sport. Different football teams need different things, but they play soccer and golf and volleyball and they run cross country in the fall. Schools might need to repair a pitch, a green, a court or a course. Whatever they need, here we are.

I’m on vacation until July 13. When we reconvene, we’ll see where we are, and we’ll figure out if we’ve done enough or if we can do more. Thanks a lot, everyone. Let’s do something special.