At last check I’ve had ZERO invitations to speak at a graduation ceremony! My fame must elude them. Speaking of fame, I would like to take a few lines to speak about our unsung heroes, and to be politically correct, heroines. What got me onto this subject was in witnessing a small act of generosity, kindness, yes, even heroics by a couple of local gentlemen this past week.
A local high school female athlete, with lots of potential, wanted/needed to play summer basketball but family funds are short. Very quietly, two gentlemen, fans of our community, stepped up and paid the costs for her. “What’s so big about that” you say? It’s just that they did so with no fanfare, no desire for recognition but because it would make our community a better place to live for all of us as well as the young athlete.
Studs Terkel, an American author, actor and historian once said, “Heroes are not giant statues framed against a red sky. They are people who say: ‘This is my community, and it is my responsibility to make it better. We need to reassess what constitutes a hero.” Amen to that brother Terkel!
These kind of stories are not unique, they are just mostly unknown. Look around your city, your county, your state. Who is the unsung hero in your neighborhood? Who gave when others didn’t? Who provided money, food, gasoline or equipment to help some budding young athlete in your community?
We live in times when criticism and complaining are the norm, not recognition of good deeds. Do not delude yourself into thinking that your community doesn’t have these unsung heroes. It does. Is it your neighbor? The gal across the street? The old man in the little house on the corner or the little Old Lady Who Lived In a Shoe?
If you are wondering, “what can I do?” You don’t have to look far. Needs are all around us. As Studs Terkel says, “This is your community.”
Look for those unsung heroes in your community. Are you one of them?
CHALK TALK
Not to beat a dead horse BUT, Wichita State baseball coach Todd Butler just finished his fourth season as boss of the once dominant Shocker program with a 27-28 record. He has now led (staggered) the Shockers to a four-year record of 105-126 and that was playing in the Missouri Valley! Things get even tougher as Wichita State moves into the American Athletic Conference.
Smarties say Bill Snyder should run for Governor after he retires as K-State’s football boss. No, not Kansas but Texas. He beats everything in that state!
Talk about disrespect! Rodney Dangerfield said , “My psychiatrist told me I was crazy and I said I wanted a second opinion. He said, okay, you’re really ugly too!”
The tough Central Kansas League has three football players that will play for the West in the annual Shrine Bowl: Landen Urban of Hoisington, Hunter Kaufman of Pratt and Layke Heimerman of Halstead. The Western Athletic Conference boasts four: Shane Berens of Hays, Peyton Hill of Garden City, Jacob Murray from Great Bend and Dodge City’s Thomas Sanchez.
Still no news out of Manhattan as to a “big man” recruit for the Wildcat basketball program. They need someone to replace the energetic D.J. Johnson, a strong rebounder and an enforcer in the middle on defense. Without it, this will be a VERY perimeter-oriented basketball team.
More and more it looks like this 2017 edition of the KC Royals is going to be a .500 team, at best.
Remember, go out there and be an UNSUNG HERO!
Buddy Tabler is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune and his views don’t necessarily reflect those of the paper. He can be reached at budtabler@gmail.com.
