By Allen Hamrick
It was an all out sports assault at Clay County High School this past week. The Northgate Baptist Church of Pittsburgh, PA, pastored by Clay native Jesse Boggs, brought in a team of young athlete volunteers as well as others who specialize in different fields, such as sewing and computer programming to make a difference in the lives of young people.
Jesse Boggs grew up in Clay and moved long ago but has always kept a place in his heart for the people of Clay County. There were a ton of things to get involved in – games, object lessons, food and singing, along with skills training in basketball, cheerleading, baseball, sewing and computer programming.This year they added art as well.
With the flood, they had a new purpose, and that was to help with clean up. Efforts were mainly focused on the bus garage, but volunteers also helped repair seven homes in the county. They also brought in teams to remodel the bathrooms at the school with new tile and painted some class rooms.
This year, they brought representatives from seven states including Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and West Virginia. If you were bored, you weren’t involved. It was just a great opportunity, not only for the youth but for the older generation as well, to make new friends and to learn that love, charity and mercy are all attributes we should live by.
Past and present athletes and cheerleaders from Clay were able to volunteer their time to the event alongside the other volunteers. Thanks to the Northgate Baptist Church and all volunteers for taking the time to care, especially in this tough time for Clay County.