What’s Up in Local Sports

By: Calvin Hastings

Third in the nation is not too bad!   That’s what the Belmont Abbey baseball team did last year.  And now they will be honored at halftime of the Belmont Abbey/Pfeiffer basketball game on February 13th.   The team finished third in the NCAA Division II World Series after posting a 40-26 record last season.   The team was the first Belmont Abbey baseball team to win the Conference Carolinas tournament and the Southeast Regional tournament.   In the World Series, Belmont Abbey lost its first game to Mesa State.   They then came back and eliminated Grand Valley State and Mesa State.   The Abbey lost to Lynn, Florida 7-5.   Lynn went on to win the national championship.   The team will be presented their championship rings that night.   Coach Kermit Smith won conference and national honors.   Smith has since left and has become the baseball coach at Lander University in Greenwood SC.   Local high school players included Michael Raymond, Jay Mcconnell and Evan Jonas of East Gaston.   Michael Maples and Josh Frazier of Ashbrook.   And Zach Horne of South Point.

West Lincoln High School celebrated 45 years of wrestling excellence last week.  Members of the Rebel wrestling teams dating back to 1965 all gathered for the celebration.   This year’s team is coached by Butch Ross and has a 15-6 record.

Congratulations to Will Poteat of West Lincoln.   Poteat has been nominated as an Old Spice Red Zone Player of the Year.   Poteat is now among a select group of players who are eligible to be selected as the National Red Zone Player of the Year.   The winner will have  a full page feature in a national publication.   This is the 9th year that Old Spice recognizes high school football players who are able to elevate their play and step up with leadership, performance and desire and serve as an example to members of their team on and off the field.   The player of the year will be selected by coaches across the nation.

Hats off to Hayley Black of East Gaston.   The Lady Warrior recently scored her 1000th career point.   She was presented the game ball for the accomplishment.

Congratulations to former East Gaston quarterback Jadarian Moore and Burns running back Nelson Woods.  The two were named to the Wingate University All-Decade team.   Moore finished his career at Wingate first in passing efficiency, second in touchdown passes,  second in completion percentage and third in completions, third in attempts and third in yards.  Woods will be a senior this fall and already is a two time All-South Atlantic Conference selection and the 2007 offensive Freshman of the Year.   In three seasons Woods has rushed for 2,790 yards.  He is only 156 yards from becoming the Bulldogs all time leading rusher.   He is currently first in career rushing attempts and second in rushing touchdowns.

South Point running back Aaron Crumbley has selected Navy.   Crumbley plans to sign a letter of intent on February 3rd.   Navy will provide a full undergraduate scholarship and pay for Crumbley’s medical schooling.   Crumbley is Gaston County’s all-time touchdown leader.   Crumbley rushed for five touchdowns in South Point’s 42-28 state title win over South Johnston.   Crumbley finished  as Gaston County’s career rushing for touchdown leader with 89.   He set a single season touchdown record of 39 in 2008.   He leads  career rushing attempts with 747 and his 4,644 career yards rushing ranks third in County history.

The 1972-73 East Lincoln Lady Mustang’s basketball team was honored last week.   The team went 29-0 on the season and won the only state championship in the school’s history.   Henry Barkley Jr. was the head coach.  The team won four straight conference championships and went to the state championship three consecutive years.

Former East Lincoln Mustang Brandon Strupp was named honorable mention All-West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic conference kicker.  Strupp converted 36 extra points and eight field goals for 60 points.

In the first Lincoln County Swimming Championships, both the East Lincoln  girls and boys captured first place.   Josh Williams is the boys head coach and Mike McCutchen serves as the girls coach.

Former Forestview Jaguar Stormy Kendrick has qualified for the NCAA Indoor Championships for the Clemson Tiger’s women’s track team.   The championships are set for March 12th and 13th at the University of Arkansas.   Kendrick was an indoor and outdoor high school track All-American at Forestview.  She won three outdoor North Carolina high school state titles and two indoor state championships

Hats off to former Crest Charger Ashley Washington.   Washington was named the USA South Conference Player of the Week last week.   Washington averaged 17 points, 9 rebounds and two steals leading Averett College to a 3-1 record.

Brothers and former South Point Red Raiders Josh Justice and James Justice will both playing for Lenoir Rhyne College.   Josh held lead the Red Raiders to the State 3AA championship in December and was named the Gaston Gazette offensive Player of the Year.   Brother James was a linebacker on the 2008 Red Raider team and was named the 2008 Gaston Gazette Defensive player of the year.   The Bears were 5-6 last season and 2-5 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Hats off to the Shelby High girls swimming team.  The Lady Lions captured the South Mountain 2A/3A Conference championship last week.   It was the second straight league championship and coach Lynn Miller was named the Coach of the Year.   Kathryn Seen and Emily Morgan will be headed to the state competition.  The Western Regionals will be held February 5th in Huntersville.

Hats off to Shelby Golden Lion graduate Danny Sanders.   Sanders now plays for Mars Hill and was named the South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball Player of the Week last week.  Sanders scored 55 points in two wins hitting 53.7 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three point range.  Sanders leads the conference in scoring and in steals.   Sanders needs only 114 points to reach the 1000 point mark in just two seasons at Mars Hill.

What’s Up with Being A ‘Lil Rusty

By Rusty Stroupe

www.rustystroupe.blogspot.com

Only God knows for sure what happened on the night of December 7, 2007. A husband and his wife of twelve years argued and left for separate rooms. The next day the husband’s lifeless body was discovered in the kitchen, a stab wound to the abdomen.

Investigators arrived and immediately suspected his wife of the murder. A small southern town buried their hero a few days later. That same day, the wife, who claimed no memory of the incident- was arrested and formally charged.

The hometown folks were shocked and saddened to bid their native son farewell. During his glory days, he was the star quarterback, leading scorer in basketball, and the ace pitcher on the baseball team. He was the guy all the guys wanted to be, and the guy all the girls wanted to be with.

And suddenly he was gone. To make matters worse, he had apparently fallen at the hands of an outsider. Someone nobody except his family in the small town had ever met. He had moved away and most folks had lost touch.

But, they hadn’t forgotten their hero. His legacy and legend were historic. His best childhood friend spoke at the funeral, being careful to accentuate the positive and cherish the priceless memories instead of lamenting the strange circumstances of his death.

Two years passed. The hero’s former wife remained in jail until the trial. By all accounts, a conviction would be a slam dunk.

But on January 18, 2010, the hero’s former wife was acquitted. And a small southern town was left to endure the pain all over again. Some of them gathered at his graveside on the afternoon of the verdict and chose again to remember the positives.

Like most red-blooded Americans, the citizens of that small town love their country and respect its judicial system, but they were confused. The judicial jargon and the complex wording of technical technicalities evaded them.

All they knew was that their hometown hero was gone and nobody would be held accountable. The story had apparently ended.

But they noticed something miraculous had occurred along the way. They had come together. They had united in a cause. They had reached out and reconnected with each other. Suddenly folks who hadn’t seen or heard from each other in years were embracing and expressing their love for each other. The second baseman and the shortstop on the old high school baseball team hugged.

The former mayor shared a heartwarming remembrance of his fallen friend. Another friend reminded everyone that beneath the macho exterior existed a warm, sensitive human being who respected his elders and treasured his friends.

The story hadn’t ended after all. A chapter in the book had concluded but pages to be filled remained. Memories to be remembered. Connections to be reconnected. Friends to be befriended. The hometown hero had done it again, bringing his former community together again.

Only God knows what happened on that fateful night in 2007. But I- the shortstop and recipient of the quarterback’s pinpoint passes- know this much. My North Carolina hometown of Cherryville lost one of its heroes, and I lost my best childhood friend, Kent Alexander. And though our hearts have now been broken twice, the memory of the one who enriched our lives will endure forever.

Do you think it pleased the football gods when the Vikings posted this on the homepage of their website during the 4th quarter of Sunday’s game?

What’s Up in Hollywood Sports

By Kevin Hastings

It’s Pro Bowl Week!  What?  Wait a minute.  Don’t they play that in Hawaii after the Super Bowl?  Yes they used to, but this season the NFL has made the best decision it’s ever made regarding the Pro Bowl.  There are many problems with the game and only a few which are fixable and changing the date and venue is one that will work.

The biggest  problem is that there really is no good time to play an exhibition football game.  None of the players want to get hurt in a showcase game in which they could get injured and have their careers altered.  This leads to player after player pulling out of the game due to injury but they’ll take the free trip to Hawaii.  Many are arguing that the Pro Bowl won’t include players from the two best teams and that’s a problem.  Really?  I don’t think so because half those players wouldn’t have played anyways, and I think it’s pretty cool that before the Super Bowl you have the All-Star game showcasing the other players. During which, the Super Bowl All-Stars will be showcased the apple of everyone’s eye.

By moving the Pro Bowl to the Super Bowl host city the week before, the NFL has given more fans the chance to attend and watch the game.  I think only good can come from this move, but it may take a few years of getting used to before it’s widely accepted by fans.

Last Weekend was full of excitement and we will get to that in a moment, but first I want to talk a little Panther football.  I was talking with some friends the other day and I made the point that if I was  Panthers fan I would be upset right now at the organization heading into this off-season.  Why?  Because this off-season the Panthers have the same questions as they did last season but worse.  What are the Panthers going to do about Peppers and his huge contract?  Will they fire John Fox for Bill Cowher?  Can anyone play wideout next to Steve Smith?  Can the defense stop anyone?

This off-season they Panthers have the exact same questions only they don’t have a 1st Round pick to get immediate help.  This all leads to the 1-ton gorilla in the room, Jake Delhomme.  Last year the Panthers were a little worried about an aging quarterback coming off Tommy John surgery and a season ending 6 turnover playoff game.  Did they have a decent backup plan?  Could they survive if Delhomme falters?  This season the question is ‘Just who in the heck is going to play quarterback for this team?’  Jake throws more passes to the other team than his own and Matt Moore looks really raw.  So what can they  do?  Here’s a suggestion:

Part 1:  Trade for Michael Vick

Panthers fans more than know the effectiveness of Michael Vick’s speed to the running and passing game of a team.  Vick torched the Panthers for years in the NFC South and even if he hasn’t played QB in a few years, he’s better than Jake Delhomme and Matt Moore.  I would offer Philly a couple of late round picks and maybe even Jake Delhomme to use as a backup for McNabb or Kevin Kolb.  I’ve been saying for years that Jake Delhomme is the best backup quarterback in the leauge.  Not good enough to trust over a season but good enough to light a spark off the bench and go on a short run if he gets hot.

Imagine Vick and DeAngelo running the Wildcat all over the NFC.  Coach John Fox could get back to Panther football and run, run, run.  But it gets better because…

Part 2:  Draft Tim Tebow

Tebow is a fine young Christian man and a born leader.   Tebow is willing and able to work on his game at the NFL level and I think Carolina would be a perfect fit with their fans, team, community, and scheme.  With Vick as the starter and as much running as he’ll do he’s going to get hurt sometimes.  That’s just a fact and Tim Tebow would be the perfect backup to Vick.  Tebow could run all the plays Vick runs and he’s left handed like Vick. I’ve always said it’s stupid to have your backup quarterback a different throwning hand than your starter anyway.  The ball spins different as well as the flight of the ball. Now imagine rotating Vick and Tebow running options and Wildcats with Stewart and Williams!  Carolina would be a favorite in the NFC, I guarantee it.

Last Week’s Eliminated Teams

Minnesota Vikings - Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!  Just who do you think you are Brett Favre?  Who are you to tempt the football gods?  Did you think they would like the fact you were running up the score in a playoff game?  Do you think they would like the fact that you jerked around the Vikes until almost after training camp because you think you earned the right not to practice?  Yeah right! In the scheme of things Brett, you are just a me-first QB wandering the NFL hoping some team pays you an ungodly amount to play QB for their franchise.    The dog and pony show that you’ve put on for the past couple seasons  is getting old to everyone and the football gods continue to show that you don’t taunt them.

It’s fitting that the Vikings season and maybe Favre’s career may have just ended on a intercepted pass, that coaches everywhere will tell you that the stupidest pass you can make is throwing across your body and back across the field.  Favre had plenty of room to run the ball to pick up a few extra yards and guarantee a shot at a field goal, but that wasn’t enough for Brett.  Two plays before were running plays where Minnesota was running the clock out so they could kick with no time on the clock.  But on 3rd Down Brett had to have the glory and get the credit for putting the team into field goal position.  He couldn’t give that to Peterson.  No, no.  It’s Brett Favre.   He had to make the heroic play when the safe play was warranted.  But that’s what you get when Brett Favre is your quarterback.

The football gods were not happy with Favre running up the score in the Dallas game (a playoff game)  and jumping around and acting like he just won the Super Bowl when all he did was pad his stats some more.  So what did the gods do to enact revenge?  Six fumbles and two interceptions later Brett Favre is crying in another news conference about another season ending interception and whether or not he’s going to waffle with the media all season on whether or not he’s coming back or not just so he can see more photos and video of himself on ESPN.  I hope Favre retires so we don’t have dance this dance anymore.

New York Jets - The Jets fantasy football season finally ended.  We eliminated the Jets back in Week 12 because they were getting measured for their coffin.  A hot end of the season got the Jets all the way to the AFC Championship game and the leaders in the clubhouse for the Team To Fall Short Of Expectations And Miss The Playoffs For Next Season.

I still do not know how the Jets made it this far with the team they had, but when you believe in yourself you can do amazing things and the Jets just believed and wanted it more than their opponents.

SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS

2.  New Orleans Saints - We’ll break down the matchups next week but you have to like the Saints chances in this fight.  The top two teams from the beginnning of the year these two were both 13-0 at one point.  Some say the game was fixed on Sunday so New Orleans could make it to the Super Bowl.  Really?  You think FOX would rather have the Saints on TV than Brett Favre and the Vikings?  Please!  The Saints were the beneficiaries of some calls but all were legit.

I made the point in last week’s column that the fact is Minny was 9-0 at home this season and now is 4-4 on the road.  Now the Vikes are 4-5 on the road and some say it’s because the New Orleans voodoo crept up on the Vikings, but I maintain it was the football gods enacting revenge!

1.  Indianapolis Colts - Everyone is on the Cotls.  I mean everyone.  The line for the Super Bowl started at Colts by 3.5 and now it’s Colts by 5.5.  I don’t see it and we’ll talk about that next week.  Manning is on the brink of leapfrogging a couple of QB’s on the All-Time Greatest List.  If Manning wins another Super Bowl and continues his torrid passing pace he could end up the best ever to play the game.  Here are my lists of where Manning is now all-time and where he could be after this win:

Renowned musical ensemble, “Sweet Dreams” will be performing at Cleveland Community College on Thursday, February 11, at 7:30 p.m. This six member group will perform R&B, Old School, Jazz and some original tunes. Formed in 1984, this Durham- based group travels the southeast entertaining for clients such as The Carolina Panthers and The Charlotte Bobcats. Sweet Dreams has also opened for great musicians including; Peabo Bryson, Boney James and Stephanie Mills. Sweet Dreams is also involved in educational seminars and workshops that relate to African-American music, history, performance and production.

The concert will be held in the Student Activities Center-Gym on the CCC campus and is free and open to the public. It is being co-sponsored by the CCC Student Government Association, The Cleveland County Arts Council, and The Shelby Negro Woman’s Club, Inc.

For more information on this event, please call (704) 484-4000 or visit clevelandcommunitycollege.edu.   Margo Greene, Public Information and Marketing Coordinator

What’s Up at Ervin Clinic in Kings Mountain? A lot of things are up including our new provider (more information in an upcoming article) but right now the most important thing that’s up is actually what’s DOWN.

Ervin Clinic is offering a Hot Valentine’s special for weight loss. Two new weight loss patients will be seen for only $189; This includes 4 Hcg injections per patient. That’s a total discount for 2 patients of over $70.

What’s UP with the catch? Glad you asked. The only catch is the couple has to be seen the first time by February 25th 2010.

So, you’re wondering what’s up with this couple business. Who exactly is a couple? A couple is just that; a couple of married people. Or a couple of family members, or a couple of friends, or a couple of people who work together, or just a couple of people willing to be seen together for their first visit and that want to lose weight.

Anything else down? Weights are down; Our patients consistently lose weight. Not using fad or ridiculously strict diets but by using employing healthy eating tips, enhancements to current habits, some medical assistance (when appropriate) and making lifestyle changes so they can keep the weight off once it’s actually gone.

“We look closely at each patient to determine if they are at risk for underlying issues that will slow or prevent weight loss and work with each patient independently to ensure they are getting the best possible results for their efforts”, says Virginia Ervin, FNP and owner of Ervin Clinic. “Our goal is to improve the eating habits of our patients first, then have them help their kids and other friends and family learn to make better choices”.

For more information call Ervin Clinic at (704)739-5550 or visit them online at www.ervinclinic.com.

Let’s Talk Bible - Since 1975

By Evangelist  W.C. “Dub” Dellinger

This day and time, some speakers never know what backs up what they are saying to you.  Whoever you are, you are speaking for the Lord Jesus as Savior of all mankind.  I ask you are there any rewards for what you are saying?  Is it just what you have heard?  You have never gone face to face with the Lord about it.  John wrote in his second epistle V9-Whosoever transgresses, and abide not in the doctrine of Christ, HATH NOT GOD.  He that abides in the doctrine of Christ hath both the father and the son.  Just think, some say JESUS JESUS JESUS.  John goes on to say if any bring this to you bid him not God’s speed in our language, get rid of him.  Any friendship or close relations with men or women must be created in God’s love, or it will be a failure simply because the Lord will never grant a doctrine that is not holy sanctified by Him only.  Some churches today just will not put Jesus Saves on the bulletin board outside the church when we should put crucified and risen.  Just think of this.  He could not come back on his own merits as Brother Paul brings out.  How could we ever expect to get into heaven?  There everything must be holy, and you must be too before you get there.  Some of you will never get to hear about Jesus, promised comforter in Acts, second chapter.  One preacher said to me that they just say spirit.  Well, that will not get the job done as Jesus as Lord wants and must have.  He as Lord will not make changes to let a couple people come in.  His rules change not!  As I search the King James Bible, I find this to be true.  He did not have to set down and figure out some plan as many do today.  You see, He was the plan of salvation.  We follow his directions, never varying or turning away.  That is if we plan or crave to be with Him in heaven.  Now do yourself and God a favor-read this over, slow again.

What’s Up with Thinkin’ Bout It

With Dr. Vince Hefner - Pastor of First Baptist Church, Cherryville

One fact that I have learned about life is that one decision is connected to another, which is connected to another and another, and you get my point. A decision that I made when I was a sophomore in high school came back to my attention just a few days ago. The reason my high school ring came to my attention was because I have been exercising, getting into better physical shape, eating the right foods and all that stuff. For some odd reason I believe my best weight was back when I was in high school. Friends, I have a way to go before I recapture my wispy figure from the class of 1980, but this is the closest I have been in a long, long time.

Just about the only objects I have left from my “Glory Years” is my high school yearbooks and my ring. I have mixed emotions when I thumb through my yearbooks because all my old friends have gotten older, much older. When I look at my picture I realize that I have grown older and bigger as well. It seems that my head is bigger, as well as my ears and nose. If I get back to my high school weight I will look like a Mr. Potato Head, and that is not the look I am going for! This brings me back to my high school ring. When it was time to order I looked at all the options and decided to buy a gold ring with my high school logo on one side and theater masks that represented the drama club on the other side. My mother agreed with everything except the “gold’ part. She told me that I would lose my high school ring and I would just be wasting money if I bought the most expensive ring. I was upset at her remarks, but she had a point. It seemed that every time I drove her car I would lose a hubcap, something that she reminds me about even till this day. I would lose baseball gloves, misplace shoes, and break my glasses. I would even lose time by daydreaming about my future. Reluctantly I agreed with my mother and bought the cheaper non-gold ring. Just to let you know, the year I bought my ring, an ounce of gold sold for $150.00, this year it is selling for $1,140.00 an ounce. Thanks Mom! Recently, I pulled out my ring from its hiding place, and since I had lost weight I figured it just might fit. I have good news and bad news to report. The good news is that it does fit, but the bad news is that I can’t get the ring off my finger. Now who looks foolish?

Back to my point, and that is how one thing is connected to another. In life, every decision is connected to the past through the present and is heading towards the future. When a person wants a godly change in their lives, they must make a decision to leave what they are doing, and turn to God’s way and will for the best results. What can we learn from a high school ring that will not come off my finger without surgery? First, the past is never as good as you thought it was. Second, living in the past will never allow you to experience what God has in store for you in the present. Third, getting in shape helps you live life to the fullest, it does not transport you back to your high school years. To be honest, I wouldn’t go back to high school if I could. When I was in high school I couldn’t wait to grow up, why should I want to go back to that time? Fourth, age has its own problems, and you must deal with these problems in a godly manner. Fifth, God’s grace enables us to face every challenge that the world puts in our way. Proverbs 12:20-21 tells us, “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy. No grave trouble will overtake the righteous, but the wicked shall be filled with evil.” Becoming a follower of Christ is a daily decision that affects every area of our lives. Make sure your decisions today bring you closer to Christ tomorrow. Remember, don’t give in to sin.

Think About It!

What’s Up with The Right Slant

By Anthony W. Hager

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone passing the hat for “Big Finance” these days. But why do people assume that financial institutions are inherently evil while government is inherently good?

The mortgage bubble and resulting financial problems weren’t a free market problem. They resulted from government manipulation. Yet in many minds government is seen as the savior while banks are the drunks at the Baptist picnic. For that reason alone Rep. Peter Welch’s Wall Street Bonus Tax Act will garner some degree of support.

Welch’s bill (H.R. 4426) promises a 50-percent tax on excessive bonuses paid at banking institutions that received bailout money. It’s a classic leftwing tactic. Welch plays the class envy card, reminding financiers that they owe their reemergence to “hardworking Americans.” However, I would remind Mr. Welch that most “hardworking Americans” opposed TARP–the plan that provided the funding–from the outset. Yet Congress passed it anyway.

Hundreds of institutions became beneficiaries. Some have repaid the money; some haven’t. But banks had to practically beg the Treasury Department for permission to repay their TARP debt. And political connections played a role in the distribution of TARP funds from the start.

A University of Michigan study claims that banks in congressional districts where the representative sits on the finance committee were 26-percent more likely to get bailout funds. That figure is even higher if a bank’s executive is on a Federal Reserve Bank board.

Such backdoor shenanigans in Congress are nothing new. Representatives exchange favors with the well-connected every day. Therefore, how can anyone believe that in taxing bonuses Rep. Welch has any interest at heart other than his own?

I’ll win no popularity contest if I’m perceived as defending banks and their bonus packages. However, my goal isn’t to exonerate or condemn banks. I’m here to defend the free market process. There is a better method than congressional meddling for determining which financial executives deserve bonuses. There’s also much to fear when Congress uses the tax code to control compensation.

First, Rep. Welch only wants to tax “excessive” bonuses. Who is he, or the federal government as a whole, to decide what is and isn’t excessive? Basically, “excessive” means beyond a necessary or proper limit, which is an arbitrary concept at best.

What may seem excessive in one circumstance can be quite routine in another. Once Congress seizes the right to determine appropriate compensation for bank executives it has established precedent to set “proper limits” on salaries for anyone. Who will be next? Barbers? Truck drivers? Play-by-play announcers? Should healthcare reform include wage controls in the medical field? Don’t bet the farm that it won’t.

Such authority in the hands of government isn’t just dangerous to our liberty, it is fatal.

Does that mean I favor bonuses for bank execs? That depends. As stated, there is a better way to set wages. I prefer to see the free market, not pandering politicians who are seeking reelection, determine compensation.

If you’re unhappy with the bonuses paid at your bank you can do business elsewhere. If you stay, then bonuses must not bother you that much. In addition, government bean-counters shouldn’t force, cajole, or lure banks into nonsensical lending practices. Banks should operate on sound financial principles, not politically correct notions about social justice.

Good practice and due diligence are rewarded in the free market. Wise and prudent banks will prosper while depositors and investors will flee foolish institutions in droves. Government manipulation serves only to protect the irresponsible, defer risk and send the entire system tumbling like a house of cards.

Government’s market interventions have proven destructive. Allowing government an inroad to wage controls promises a similar, or worse, result. If Congress can punish banking executives for their compensation the door is wide open to do likewise to everyone.

Want More Of The Right Slant?

Email: tony_hager@therightslant.com

Web: www.therightslant.com

Blog: http://anthonywhager.blogspot.com/

What’s Up with Revelling In It

By Rebecca Revels

There is an old saying about good comes to he who waits. or even all good things are worth waiting for. As a cancer survivor I am an avid supporter of the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life. That being the case, I was recently a part of an American Cancer Society fundraiser at a local restaurant. The event had been planned for weeks. Tickets had been on sale since early December. Fliers and emails and posters were out. Then something went wrong.

We had been instructed to meet at the restaurant at six thirty that morning for instructions. I actually got up in plenty of time. I’m not exactly sure what happened to make me late leaving the house but late leaving I was. All the way to the restaurant I worked on my apology speech. Then I pulled into the parking lot and saw it lined with cars, still with people inside and others standing around a very dark restaurant. I got out of my vehicle and wandered over to speak to a couple of people. No one seemed to know what had happened. The longer we waited the more worried people were becoming. Finally the person over the event reached one of the managers. While it wasn’t the manager of this particular restaurant it was one that had the numbers needed. It wasn’t long before we got the call that the manager was on the way. Turns out there had been a lack of communication or understanding in the time.

Some of the people that had arrived early couldn’t stay. They had other things on their schedules that couldn’t be put off. Their money was refunded and they went on their way. When the manager arrived and opened the restaurant things quickly fell into place. We were given our instructions on which way to enter and leave the kitchen area. Where the supplies were, how to place our orders and to be careful.

While it took me a few minutes to find my place in the order of things eventually even I had a task to do and kept at work and out of trouble.

It may have had a rough beginning, but once we got started things smoothed out and we all hit our stride. Even our chairperson jumped in and helped with the cooking- actually- she turned out to be quite the natural cook.  For several hours it was orders and reorders. I have no idea how many pancakes and link sausage were prepared and sold, but I know that it was enough that the event was a success.  I even managed to deliver  cups of hot coffee without spilling it. I also managed to stay out of the way of those who really knew what they were doing, finding my place in the filling of syrup cups. A task that did not involve anything hot or sharp. That and helping to make sure the place was set back in order when we were finished.

There were many volunteers there for this event. Some that had been servers before, some that this was their first time. We had people selling items and people selling tickets at the door. It was a constant ebb and flow of almost every type Relay shirt known. When it was all said and done, all were tired, but all were proud of their work, and their success. We do know, that it would not have been a success without those that came out in support of us and what we were trying to do for the American Cancer Society and the fight against cancer. They are all greatly appreciated.

And to be honest, we even had a lot of fun. Thank you, everyone. Let’s do this again soon.