Franklin Graham at George W. Bush’s innaguration
Do Americans Hate Each Other?
January 5, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Bed Bugs Do Bite
December 31, 2016 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
When I was a kid I always heard the phrase, sleepy tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite. I always thought that was a figure of speech. From first hand experience, I know they are real.
I have been incognito most of the month of December. I found out I had them three weeks from today. I am going to chronicle my experience.
Image from abouthotels.com
I am sharing this to increase awareness of them. It is a long holiday weekend. Some of you might be going out of town and spending time in hotels. Some of you might be going shopping and trying on clothes. I am just going to take my experience with them. Please do not take it as whining.
Bed bugs will advance five to seven feet from their area daily. They have the ablility to flatten thinner than a credit card. The bites look like a chigger or mosquito bite. I was bit for a few days and did not realize it. I had a rash. I thought it was from medication I take which it is a side effect.
I put off doing this because I did not want people to think I was gross or nasty.
Like I said I woke up three weeks from today. I was going through my usual Saturday Morning routine, listen to the local sports shows. I am not a normal coffee drinker, but I had one that day.
I was sitting in my recliner, and I felt something stab me in the back of the neck. It felt like a bee sting. I raised up the top of my chair and I found two bed bugs. I went into a panic.
Since I have moved into an apartment complex, bed bugs have been my biggest paranoia. I watched a story on FoxNews on them the week before I moved in. There was a lot of information given when I signed my lease.
I would take a blow dryer to my mattress and furniture weekly as a preventive measure. I would also run my quilts on the bed frequently through the dryer.
This did not keep my pesky visitors from appearing. After I found a couple crawling on my recliner I found a nest in the corner of my mattress at the foot of my bed. I know this isn’t too “manly” to admit, but I started freaking out.
I was supposed to be at cantata practice at 10 o’clock that morning. Our pastors wife, Karen Whittaker was the director. I called her and told her the situation. She asked what they can do. I said bring me some industrial size trash bags. Our preacher Lloyd brought them to me.
I was thinking these things hate heat. I ran every stitch of anything cloth I had through the dryer. I used the trash bags to seal them up after drying them. What was supposed to been a great weekend, was shot.
It was weekend I was looking forward to. We were having fellowship at the church after choir practice. For those that know me, you can tell by looking I like to eat. That evening I was supposed to go to 17th Street and bowling with my Sunday School class.
For those of you that don’t know, I haven’t drove in three years nearly. I have lost my license because of seizures, a side effect from a stroke. Going to Williamson county is what a trip to St. Louis in comparison to the past. I was so disappointed I could not go. I just did not want to spread my “Christmas joy” with others.
That morning when I went to Casey’s next door to get change, there was a notice on the door that an exterminator was going to be here on Monday. Part of me was relieved, and part of me felt sick.
image from pestworld.org
I had several days scheduled to substitute teach up till Christmas break. I told both schools hold off and see what I am facing after taking to the exterminator. When I met with them they told me that it would be okay to go out in public, but I had to jump in the shower, throw my clothes in the dryer, get dressed, dry the clothes I had on and take them with me. I had to do that same routine every time. I told both schools it was ok.
That night they were really stirred up. I slept in the floor, which I do most nights anyway to them crawling on me. My mattress was on its side, and it was covered in them. That morning I called FCHS and told them I just could not go to school out of a good conscience and spread them. To be safe I made a call to FIS, where I was at the two days before and told them as well.
I thought I would have a lot of time on my hands. The next few days was to get ready for a possible extermination that Thursday. I was busting my butt getting things ready. On that Wednesday I found out that it was not until the 29th.
When the brackets for the Sesser-Valier Holiday Tournament was released, I was so excited. My good friend and HS basketball team mate Kevin Smith takes me to a lot of Thompsonville games, where I grew up. Christopher, T’ville, and S-V were in the same bracket. My son plays for Christopher. I spent most of my adult life in Sesser, I watched all of their basketball team play little league baseball since I was five. My heart sunk.
I have covered high school basketball for a year now for a Facebook blog I have, Franklin County Hoops and Gridiorn. Yesterday, I went to a Morthland College game at Max Morris Gym. It was a month until I had been in a gym until yesterday. I missed that.
During that time, I have spent a lot of time listening to Jim Muir, Tom Wheeler, Rick Westemeyer, Richard Blakely, and Danny Czerwinski. When you know the teams as well as the announcers, they can paint a picture to make you feel like you were there. I was able to keep my ear to the ground during this time.
I was able to keep up with Thompsonville because coach Pete Gordon posts game video on the school’s YouTube page. I was also able to watch a lot of video from Goreville on the school district’s blackcatnetwork.com. I was able to watch a lot of games from the Eldorado Holiday tournament form foxesfans.net and areasports.net. Thank you to Randy Olson and Danny Anslement for providing this, as well as your sponsors.
Christmas was different for me this year. Until Thursday, I did not go around anyone unless to go to the store. It was a great one though.
I was able to get in the 21st century again. I was able to purchase a smart phone with some money from my dad for Christmas, a necessity since I have taken this position on.
My good friends Larry and Alberta Morris brought me a care package of goodies. So did Dale and Kim Justice, which I think the world of their son Spencer. They also got me a Hoosiers DVD. The goodies were put to good use watching Ralphie.
My best friend, Tammy Snethen, told me something the first day that helped get me through it. I was scared to tell anyone. She said it is not a disgrace having them anyone can. It is gross and disgusting keeping them. That changed my outlook.
My church family at Calvary Baptist Church was awesome to me especially Debbie Lawrence. She helped with a lot of things the first few days.
My son and my wife sent several texts that helped too.
Franklin County Housing Authority was very great to me during this and was a lot of help including manager of the complex, Kari Payne.
What was rough I had to go through everything. I was allowed three bags of books, pictures, cassettes, DVD’s etc. I had to get rid of a lot of things. Some were sentimental. I had a lot of Southern Gospel and Country albums that were my grandmas. I had to pare them down. There were a lot of cassette tapes that were my mom’s. There were a lot of bittersweet memories paring everything down. I was allowed two trash bags full of things like this. They are in isolation now for 14 days.
I had smiliar spots on the top corner of my mattress. Purdue University photo
Treatment consisted of emptying everything out of my closets, and dressers. I had to have all my clothes in ten inch piles. I had to have everything in open spaces that treatment could take place. I could keep some clothes hung up in my closet and in the bathroom shower curtain. It took several days to get ready for this.
They used several heaters to heat my apartment between 135-150 degrees. They kept it at that until all signs of them were gone. They were finished about 4p.m.
I left my apartment Thursday morning feeling like a new man. I did the Houdini act that I was supposed to do when I left the house. I was glad it was in the 50s that day.
Between going to the library to update this page, eating lunch at Mike’s Drive In and crossing 57 to pick up a few things the several hours went by fast. I got home about 6:00. I was able to get in my apartment about 7. The temp dropped to 86. It was 97 when I got home.
Like I said, I shared my story to educate not to want sympathy. Here are some things to consider from experience and research.
- When you try on clothes in a store, immediately change clothes and wash and dry them when you get home. This applies to new purchases in a store.
- Wash and dry all new clothing before wearing them.
- If you are in a hotel, check the mattress thoroughly for the spotting in the image above. Immediately wash and dry all your clothes. Empty all your suitcases and leave them outside for a while.
- If you make a purchase at a thrift store, tie the bags off before putting them in your vehicle, wash immediately when you get home.
- New Years weekend is big for furniture sales. The protocol mentioned above needs to be considered. Someone might sat on the furniture that had them. Before a new or used furniture purpose look for similar spotting like on the mattress.
- They will harbor in clean places. They will hide in corners and things close to your bed.
- I have two friends that are insurance agents, Jeff Smith with Country Financial here in West Frankfort, and James Cook a State Farm agent in Carmi. I asked them if homeowners insurance will cover the loss, and they said it will not. Both companies do not offer additional riders.
I hope this made you think. As for me, it is something I hope I do not go through again. My mattress is in a landfill, the garbage man just hauled it off. I had to keep it until treatment day. I am going to turn my bedroom into a weight/exercise room. I sleep in the floor most nights anyway with my feet up in the recliner.
My recliner and computer chair was salvageable. There was no signs of nesting. They left my TV’s and computer alone. They nested in my cable box, and a retro stereo I had. I had some X-Rays underneath my bed. They were drawn to them for some reason.
I am in the market for a love seat right now. I am also in the market for an elliptical dumbbells, a universal and maybe a rowing machine. I will thoroughly inspect it before purchasing. I am passed it now. I am excited what 2017 will bring.
Obama’s final, most shameful, legacy moment
December 30, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Click to read Charles Krauthammer’s weekly column from the Washington post. Here is an excerpt; The audience — overwhelmingly Jewish, passionately pro-Israel and supremely gullible — applauded wildly. Four years later — his last election behind him, with a month to go in office and with no need to fool Jew or gentile again — Obama took the measure of Israel’s back and slid a knife into it. People don’t quite understand the damage done to Israel by the U.S. abstention that permitted passage of a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning Israel over settlements. The administration pretends this is nothing but a restatement of long-standing U.S. opposition to settlements……
The Peace of Christmas
December 23, 2016 By Leave a Comment
by Steve Dunford
One of the things that I love about Christmas the most is the peacefulness of it. My wife, son and I used to go to my grandparents and then my mom and dad’s on Christmas eve. Sometimes, we would go back on Christmas night.
We lived in Sesser at the time. The twenty mile trip to Thompsonville was one of the highlights of my Christmas.
Some might see it strange, but seeing every business closed, except a few convenience stores open going through Benton and West City, gave me a sense of peace. The world seemed like it was standing still.
The scene at any Walmart across the nation 364 days a year, a packed house. The empty parking lot was great to see, thinking of employees having a day with their friends and family.
The thoughts of how the town was bustling a few hours before, with people grabbing last minute gifts and goodies for their celebration, then all at once everything came to a screeching halt. People were at gatherings spending time with their loved ones.
After opening gifts on Christmas morning, there is always such a quietness and calm like no other day in the year. There is little traffic. You walk outside to go to gatherings, and there is a stillness that does not exist on the other 364 days of the year.
Christmas is a magical and special time. Nothing is more precious than seeing the face of a child light up on Christmas morning or the days leading up to it.
The reason Christmas is so special, is the birth of a savior who was born of a virgin, who died for a rotten sinner like me. He died for you as well. It is there for the asking.
The holidays are painful for some. Losing someone special in ones life lives a hole. A lot of people battle emptiness and loneliness. Here are a couple verses to cling to during this time, if you feel sadness. They will give you peace. (Phillipians 4:7) and (John 14:27)
If you heart is troubled reach out to him for the ultimate peace. Jesus is reaching out to you.
The awareness that we need peace on this earth comes up during this season. We all have the sin nature. There might be times of peace and prosperity, but until Jesus rules and reigns on this earth, there will be no world peace. He is the Prince of Peace. There are a lot of people who differ on theology, but the main thing he is returning. Are you ready for his coming?
Lastly, I have had this thought running though my head. This is during the days of shag carpet, and when I was the remote control back in the 1970’s This is during the days when there was just three, six, and twelve.
NY Daily News file photo
There was a Coke commercial during that time that ran during that era. It was a take from the folk song I’d like to teach the world to sing. I shared world peace was not inevitable, but keep in mind personal peace is through Jesus Christ.
As we go into the new year, I am going to put more focus on changing the world around me. One thing the Lord has done a mighty work in me, is to have a positive outlook on things. We are all a work in progress, and it is a lifetime of molding us into what we need to be.
If someone is grumpy, depressed, sad or lonely. Give them a helping hand. Smiles and kind words go along way.
I wish you all a Merry Christmas. It is a blessing to be able to sit behind this keyboard. Thank you all for the positive words. God bless you all.
The Decision Whether to Call Off
December 18, 2016 By Leave a Comment
When you are in a position to call off an event, I have first hand experience that you have several scenarios going through you head. There are also several factors that need to be taken into consideration as well.
Just to let everyone know, parking lots and untreated roads are very slick. The first thing when I woke up this morning, I looked out the window and there was a dog running across the parking lot in the apartment complex I live in. He slid about thirty feet, looked to see if something was around, and got back up and started running again. It was my laugh for today.
Our church, Calvary Baptist Church in West Frankfort made the decision to cancel church services today at 11 pm last night. I received notification of a handful of churches that called off at the last minute this morning.
I am going to take this from the perspective that I have learned from being a pastor, substitute teacher, basketball official, and now a sports writer. One thing that is a guarantee, there will be someone will gripe about the decision. This is not always the case, but it is the norm. When it was circulating around on social media last night our church was canceling, everyone agreed with the decision and some said they were going to shut their alarm clock off.
Since it is a Sunday, I am going to talk about the experience in the decision of whether to call of church or not. Two of the churches I pastored everyone was on the same page. There were three of them; well there was one and always one person that griped about the decision one way or the other. They were the type of individuals, that if you gave them a $100 bill, they would find something wrong with the serial number.
There is the old cliché “the devil won” when you call off services. In fact, one church I pastored, there was someone that would go to the church and put a 1 up on the Sunday School board for the devil being there that morning. This individual did this in the midst of a Heavy Snow Warning. When he pointed it out the next Sunday to me, I had a good one liner back at them. I bit my tongue though.
Here are the things that I always considered when throwing my two cents worth into the decision. First the elderly in the conversation needs to be considered. They are the ones that are usually are there every time the doors are open. It is not worth them breaking a hip.
Second, is it worth someone getting in a fender bender or worse? In my point of view, attending a worship service on mornings like this, it is not a necessity. It would have killed me inside personally if someone was in a wreck on the way to church.
Third, I pastored small churches. The risk of heating an empty building was taken into consideration. The last church I pastored was a small congregation in a huge building. For the sanctuary to be warm enough on Sunday, the heat had to be turned up Friday. If snow was in the forecast on Friday we made the decision then. There were a couple times the snow missed us, but I have no regrets in the decision we all made.
Whether there will be school in Franklin County tomorrow your guess is as good as mine. As of now, I say the odds are 50-50. I know several school administrators personally and I have had the conversation before of the factors that go into the decision that has to be made whether to call off or not.
You can rest assured knowing that altering child care plans is taken into strong consideration. Also, there is a concern that students might not get a hot meal, in which they can have two on each school day. No matter what school your child attends, they are well loved by the administration, teachers, and support staff. They do not replace you as a parent, but every child’s welfare that walks through the doors is the reason why they make every decision they do.
Administrators travel the country roads inside their district before the decision is made. Several do not take into a consideration that we are mainly a rural county. There is a huge difference than driving a school bus down a gravel road than driving a four wheel drive down Main Street.
When the decision that is made there are always some that will not like it. It seems like it is the same circle that will take to social media and gripe whether the decision made is yea or nay. It is also usually the same individuals that posts the question, is this for me? To avoid this question any post I will make, if all county schools are closed, each school will be in parentheses.
Last, there was one basketball game played in Southern Illinois last night. Massac County beat A-J last night. The rest were postponed. This Thursday night seems like a popular night to reschedule games across Southern Illinois.
There is an epidemic of an official shortage statewide. In fact, Murphysboro had to call off their game with Herrin Friday night because the officiating crew could not make it from the Metro East because of slick roads, replacements could not be found.
When a game has to be rescheduled transportation, other events, and yes officials have to be considered. Most of the games on the docket last night were non conference games. It would not surprise me if there are some that are cancelled, or only playing a varsity game only because officials could not be found.
If you like sports, I encourage you to call the IHSA or contact a veteran official. The seven years I was one was a very rewarding experience for me.
I hope this did not appear as a negative rant, I just hope that I shed some light on the logistics of decisions that are made in regards to cancellations. From being there first hand on some, it is not an easy one.
I am taking everyone’s word for it that it is cold outside. Just make it a sweat pant day, and enjoy the time today if you choose to stay in. What ever you do make it a great day.
….For unto us a son is given…
December 16, 2016 By Leave a Comment
This is the second in a series of columns I am writing based on the verse Isaiah 9:6. The verse below is the first verse most of us learned in Sunday School. It is the gospel in a nut shell.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16 KJV)
I have one son. I am sorry but he would be very hard to give up so that you can live. God sent his son to this earth for one reason, to die on a cruel rugged cross for my sins as well as yours. There is no greater love that can be expressed than God giving us his son Jesus.
The worse feeling in the world is having a sick child. When they were babies, it was really frustrating because they would be fussy and cry. I know people who have lost a child. There is a pain that does not heal. Just imagine how God felt.
Some theologians disagree with me on this. I believe that God had to turn his back when Jesus was on the cross, because he could not stand to see the pain and suffering he was going through. Some say that God could not stand to see the filth of our sin. I believe that is partially true, but keep in mind that was his only son.
The babe was born in a manger, went to the cross and died for our sins. He rose on the third day. He is coming back again. The Holy Spirit works in our life on a daily basis and is a guide in all things.
When I had this idea of writing this, the thoughts of the first verse of a classic song written by Bill and Gloria Gaither came to mind:
God sent his son, they called him Jesus,
He came to love, heal and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my savior lives.
Because he lives
I can face tomorrow
Because he lives
All fear is gone
Because i know he holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because he lives
Just think of the best Christmas gift you have received. It was freely given by love. Jesus came to give you the ultimate free gift. Let his verse sink in.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship with Jesus. It does not matter what name you have on the door, If you know the Lord you are my brother or sister.
Grace is a free unmerited gift that can not be earned. None of us deserve it. Our heavenly father loves us so much that he made the gift of salvation available to all. Good works does not get us to heaven. Being a sinner saved by grace does.
Steve Dunford is a guest columnist for franklincounty-news.com. He is a rotten sinner that has accepted the free gift of salvation, it is available to everyone.
For unto us a child is born….
December 15, 2016 By Leave a Comment
I am going to share a series of columns based on the verse Isaiah 9:6 during the holiday season. The first six words of this verse exactly is the true meaning of this season.
I am 46 years old and I still watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. I actually used to have an authentic Charlie Brown Christmas Tree as a decoration. The cartoon is in its 51st year. It was about on the cutting floor of CBS, and came close to never airing. Network
Peanuts character and theologian Linus VanPelt
executives said it was too religious.
Charlie Brown was asking the true meaning of Christmas. Linus VanPelt, the theologian of the comic, recited this verse:
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. (Luke 2:10-12 KJV)
Linus followed up with “That is the true meaning of Christmas, Charlie Brown.”
This is a side note. Anything I write of this nature, I will use the King James Version. Use a version of God’s word that is easy for you to understand. I use is for personal preference. I just like the thunder of it.
I am going to share my opinion on a couple of things. First Santa Claus is not the real meaning of Christmas, but I feel there is absolutely nothing wrong with telling your children about him. Some of the greatest joys in my life was spent in a Santa suit. I am going to share some of those before.
I feel there is nothing wrong with having a Christmas tree in your house. The reason we use evergreens is to symbolize eternal life through Christ. It is nothing to worship, but it is a decoration that is worth explaining the true meaning of others.
This time of year gets very busy. There are parties, gatherings, in the heart of basketball season, and stress in trying to find the right present for someone. For others, it is a time of loneliness and sadness. Whatever you lot is in life, keep in mind what the true meaning of Christmas is. Jesus was born to die on the cross so that I and you could have eternal life.
At your holiday gatherings, make it a tradition to open the Bible and share the Christmas story with your friends and family before opening presents. It will put everyone in the right mindset, and will make opening presents a lot more special.
This piece was written by Steve Dunford, a guest columnist of FranklinCounty-news.com. He spent 20 years pastoring five small Southern Baptist Churches in Franklin and Jefferson counties. He currently is a member of the Calvary Baptist Church in West Frankfort
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Mom Made Christmas Special
December 13, 2016 By Leave a Comment
Today would have been my Mom’s 69th birthday. She passed away on June 17, 2004 at the age of 56 of lung cancer. She was a non smoker. She never had an enemy. She had a love for people and an infectious smile, and everyone loved her. To this day, there has never been a week go by since her death from this life that no one has said what an impact she has had on her life. I might not have a lot of this worlds’ goods, but the success I want in this life is to be
Mom on Labor Day weekend after being diagnosed with Cancer. Left is my niece Sarah Dunford, who is a Junior at the University of Illinois. Center is my son Andrew who is a senior at Christopher high school, right is my Kaylee McClain, who is now in grad school in Ohio to become a PAC.
that type of impact person on others she was.
Mom lived eleven months after her diagnosis. She was weak, especially during chemo, but they were ten good months. When she talked to the family after that she said her goal was quality of life not quantity. She clung to the last part of the following verse:
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day. (2 Timothy 1:12 KJV)
Every fall I participate in no shave November. Last fall I kept my beard into May. In fact, it was the last day of the 2015-16 school year. I substitute teach at Frankfort Intermediate school a lot. Then Principal Natalie Fry made me get a visitor’s pass. I had a lot of compliments. Everyone said it made me look ten years younger.
This fall I could not wait to get it shaved off. I was afraid kids would start sitting on my lap this Christmas season. The beard has become much whiter in a few months’ time. It was not Roberston quality but it was impressive.
When I shaved it off, I could hear mom saying Stephen Duane, I am glad you are shaving that nasty thing off. Even though No Shave November is for prostate cancer awareness, I participate in her honor anyway. It made me smile and brought at tear to my eye at the same time. When I was shaving off the beard was the inspiration to write this piece on her birthday.
I know I entitled this about Christmas, so I am getting to this part.
Mom in the 1980’s. Yes that is yours truly on the couch in the upper right hand corner. The sideways pic is my brother and I fishing in the john boat. Yes I was that skinny at one time in the back. I could not crop this for some reason. Bear with the scans.
Christmas was always special to her. She was an excellent cook. The counter tops in our laundry room and kitchen were full of homemade candy and cookies.
She made three roaster pans full of Chex Mix every Christmas. Mom was very frugal. She could squeeze the buffalo off a nickel. She bought the stuff on sale and always had a coupon with it. I have learned the frugality of grocery shopping from her. You can save a ton of money.
We never had the traditional Christmas dinner. We had barbecue smoked pork. Mom said a big meal hogged up a lot of everyones Christmas time and it was right. There were relatives coming and going. They could just pop a plate in the microwave.
When Dad pastored the Rescue Free Will Baptist church north of Whittington, instead of having a Wednesday night services right before Christmas, mom and dad would have the whole church over at our house for a party. Mom always fixed Chicken Monterrey and BBQ Chicken. There were forty plus people in a 900 square foot, two bedroom, one bath house. There were conversations talking place in every room. It always happened to be the night of the Illinois-Mizzou bragging rights game. That was always fun watching a college basketball game with several people.
The last Christmas she was here, you can see the wheels turning that it was going to be her last. She soaked up every gift my son Andrew opened. Her three grandkids were the apple of her eye. My nieces grew up in Champaign so she was around him more. He was maw maw’s little buddy.
The cancer went to her brain and the last month was painful to watch. It was more painful than her passing. The ultimate healing is when you pass from death unto life. She is in a place now that is far more than imaginable.
I have a guarantee I will see her again. I am just an old rotten sinner saved by the grace of God. Because of a baby born of a virgin in a manger, that went to the cross to die for our sins, we all can have that promise one day by accepting the ultimate gift.
Steve Dunford is a guest columnist for FranklinCounty-news.com
Post season football — it’s not always about the game
October 25, 2016 By Leave a Comment
The Sesser-Valier-Waltonville-Woodlawn Devils will be a huge underdog when they travel to Mount Carmel on Saturday to take on the undefeated Golden Aces. But, after 25 years of broadcasting and a lifetime of following high school sports, let me point out that this game is not about … well … it’s not about ‘just this game.’
Certainly, everybody wants to win and move on but I have always been a big believer that Saturday afternoon football in Week No. 10 and beyond is about much more than the team with the most points at the end of the fourth quarter. It’s about the ‘experience.’
Let me explain.
For SVWW, this matchup on Saturday is about weight-lifting and conditioning last winter. It’s about getting up before daylight and the sold-out, above the line commitment to a program, your coaches and teammates. It’s about football camps and 7-on-7 scrimmages on hot summer weekends. It’s about two-a-day (and maybe three-a-day) practices on sweltering hot and humid August days. It’s about the anticipation of week one. It’s about Friday night lights and the weekly grind and routine of a nine-week football season. It’s about rebounding mentally from a tough loss. It’s about counting, recounting and then counting again the number of playoff points your favorite team has. It’s about knocking off a very good Carmi-White County team in week nine to get that fifth win. It’s about setting a goal to make the playoffs and then reaching it. It’s about scratching and clawing for that coveted fifth win and then feeling the joy of knowing that you will have more practices, more game prep, and more time with your teammates and most important — you will play one more game. It’s about preparing for an opponent while more than 300 other teams are looking ahead to wrestling and basketball. It’s about a team breakfast on Saturday morning – Game Day — with guys that you love and respect and would go to the gravel for. It’s about a long bus ride with your teammates on a glorious fall day. It’s about playing against one of the storied football programs in Illinois. It’s about playing at “The Pit” – a one-of-a-kind facility that will give you ‘goose-bumps’ when you see it for the first time. It’s about embracing every moment, every smell, every visual effect, and every noise of the game, the experience. It’s about memories – not any old memory that will fade away but lifetime memories that will still be vivid decades and decades from now.
Yes, there’s a football game Saturday when SVWW will be the little guy in a David vs. Goliath match up. I’ve said it for years, the game is super important … but it pales in comparison to the experience.
Enjoy. Every. Second.
