FIREBIRDS for FORT Softball

The Fairmont Lady Firebird Softball team sponsored a FIREBIRDS for FORT event to raise money for the Melissa Fortener McLaughlin Scholarship Fund AND to raise awareness about Breast Cancer. It was ANOTHER touching tribute to Melissa (who played softball her junior year - because she wanted to be with her friends!) Even though her dad and mom both played softball and her brother was a baseball player, softball wasn't her best sport...but she tried it...and the Softball team honored her TOO! THANK YOU. Thank you Janet W. (no last names - per Fort) for getting the t-shirts together - we LOVE them...and LOVED seeing all the kids wearing them at the games! Fort would have loved it too...and to head coach (and friend) Rick A. for your part in getting this together...and coaches Bob, Chelsea (who Fort KNEW AND LOVED!) and Joe for your contribution! The funds raised will go to Fort's Scholarship, given to one (or more) graduating seniors each year.


When the coach asked if I wanted to throw the first pitch, I was a little worried about getting it over the plate...so the catcher was KIND enough to let me throw a couple of pitches BEFORE going to the mound! (Believe it or not, I still play softball...kind of. I'm on the team, and I'm married to the coach, so if I want to play, he's pretty good about getting me in. OH. And I only play first base, so I get that too. A little spoiled maybe? But he has to LIVE with me AFTER the game!)


Pam throws the first pitch for the JV game...


Getting the ball after the first pitch!


batter on deck....


Freshman...posing for the BLOG!


Freshman team pic...after an AMAZING 9-0 WIN against W. Carrollton!


Pam & Donny with Freshman Coaches Bob F. & his daughter Chelsea (THANKS for your part in organizing this!)


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BUTTERFLY WEEK AT GREENMONT...

As EVIDENT in these photos...the students were JUST as surprised as I was about all the butterflies in the library...and THEY made them! The teachers never told them WHY they were making the butterflies or WHERE they were going. So when they came to library this week...this is what I saw...it was priceless.....





First grade teacher Nikki P. tries on a butterfly headband...one of the MANY butterfly things I found this past week! Always having fun in MY library!

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ANOTHER interesting story happened this week in the library. After finding all the butterflies on Monday, I changed the plans I had for the week and went with butterfly stories - fiction AND nonfiction. On Friday, I had one of our fourth grade classes. After reading the story CHARLIE the CATERPILLAR, we talked about the story being a story about friendship, and what REAL friends are. I said something like "in a couple of years, when you get to middle school, it's a good idea to be friends with everyone..." something like that. This boy in the back says "YEAH - there was a boy named BRADLEY at the middle school that EVERYONE liked...but he was struck by lightening. Yesterday he would have been 32..." I was taken aback....16 years ago, one of Nick's friends at the middle school (BRADLEY DERRICKSON) was struck by lightening...and he WAS liked by everyone. So I called his mom after school and asked her if yesterday (April 7) was Bradley's birthday. She said yes. And the day I called her was the day he was struck by lightening! She was SO happy to hear this story...16 years later. I called her because I KNOW that 16 years from now, I hope SOMEONE calls me to tell me a story about MELISSA....we hope NO ONE EVER FORGETS. And here is a FOURTH GRADER, 16 years later, talking about Bradley, who he NEVER knew. I LOVE IT...and so did his mom and dad. I guess I'm telling this story because I want you to tell your stories to anyone who has lost a loved one...the stories are TRULY appreciated. We NEVER get tired of hearing them...even the same stories over and over again...JUST REMEMBERING them is what we want.