Darren Kinnard/River Radio Sports Central
Flora junior football and basketball player Gage Dugan things on his mind most people his age, or even many adults for that matter, think about–namely helping others in the community that need assistance.
So Gage got together with the guys from the Behind the Mic show to come up with something they could tie into Monday’s big Clay County junior high basketball game between Flora and North Clay.
To make this happen, Gage went around to people and businesses in the community to raise money to purchase food to donate for a program called Blessings in a Backpack.
In a short period of time, Gage raised 900 dollars. With that money, he and members of both the Flora and North Clay junior high teams went grocery shopping at the Flora Wal-Mart.
Flora Junior High Assistant Principal and Athletic Director Amy Herdes helps coordinate the program. It is completely donation driven. She said Gage’s efforts are much appreciated, especially including the junior high students in the shopping, giving those kids somebody to emulate.
Now Gage will be the first to admit, details are not necessarily his strength, so his mom, Kendra, Herdes and several of the players’ parents pitched in to make sure these novice grocery shoppers were choosing the right type of food items.
After checking out, the kids loaded the groceries into a truck and then went to the Junior High, where they unloaded and sorted all of the food they had just bought.
Gage’s groceries along with other donations will be packed up and available for kids who need it.
