By Matt de Simone
The Lord Botetourt Cavaliers football team took advantage of a day or two off from school to help the community clear some of the snow from winter storm Izzy.
One Botetourt County Public Schools teacher and Cavalier parent, Sarah Quesenberry, recently spoke about the team’s snow-shoveling efforts last week. The volunteer movement to help with the large amounts of snow in the county allowed the Cavalier Touchdown Club an opportunity to accept donations for new football equipment for the upcoming season this fall.
According to Quesenberry, the initial idea came from another parent, Nicole King, who lives in Wetherwood. She posted on the neighborhood site and started receiving a lot of responses. From there, she messaged Quesenberry, who then posted to an LB football Facebook site for players and parents to see what type of reaction they would receive. Immediately, Quesenberry’s phone started ringing, and, not surprisingly enough, it didn’t stop. Word of mouth spread into the county.
The Cavalier Touchdown Club is a non-profit club that solely benefits the football program. Due to COVID mandates and restrictions, they haven’t held any fundraising events. The team’s current uniforms need replacing after seasons of wear and tear. The Cavs’ helmets are on a recycling program but also need replacing.
Along with their jerseys and helmets, the team has at least 25 shoulder pads that need replacing due to plastic and straps breaking. Playing in the spring and fall of 2021 took a toll on the equipment that needed initial replacement two years ago.
“(The parents and the club) also want to help raise money for two football camps we want our players to attend,” Quesenberry explained. “Experience is everything, and we want our boys to have as much exposure as possible. We have an amazing football program thanks to Coach Harless and his coaching staff, so we are trying to support them as best as we can.”
Quesenberry started coordinating and seeing what players could help out in the snow. From there, she started sending them addresses.
“We started on Monday and continued into Tuesday,” Quesenberry continued. “We even have some players who haven’t stopped and are still shoveling last Wednesday. The boys that were able to get out and help did so, and they worked so well together.”
At least 25 players were able to help throughout the county. They were joined by two alumni players who helped out. The Cavalier football team shoveled snow in Cobblestone, Ashley Plantation, Steeplechase, Wetherwood, Sommersby, Green Acres, and other addresses that they could reach outside of neighborhoods.
This impromptu effort is the beginning of the Touchdown Club’s fundraising in 2022.
If readers would like to make a flat donation, they can stop by any Bank of Botetourt branch or email Sarah Quesenberry at sarahstrutt@hotmail.com for any assistance.