By Thomas Sellers Jr.
For years several traditions have grown around the Millington Central High School Football Stadium.
Along with winning football and collegiate talent developing, Trojan Football on Friday nights is time for the End Zone Grill, MCHS Staff fellowshipping, running through the black and gold helmet and the voice of Mark Healy echoing through the speakers.
While all those features of Trojan Football have matured, large bamboo stalks were growing in the corner of the stadium behind the Millington Fieldhouse.
The area filled with the tribe of flowering perennial evergreen plants from the grass family covered old debris, Blackbirds and even snakes. In June, MCHS Principal Clint Durley started the planning phase to clear the area to lay sod and beautify the hill.
Durley shopped around for the best crew and price during the 2014 football season. After several offers, Millington businessman Larry Silvey emerged with the best offer.
Silvey volunteered his time, equipment and service to clear the brush. Silvey, Ernie Carter and Ken McGravey got the process started earlier this month removing all the bamboo and other small trees that grew underneath.
Then on Saturday the youth from the Millington First Baptist Church came to assist the effort. From 11 a.m. to about 2 p.m., 56 children and 11 adults joined Silvey and Durley in clearing the area.
“This is a part of our Disciples Now Weekend to build leadership,” FBC High School Minister Grady McDonald noted. “This gives our kids a chance to serve their community. We reached out to the school to give our kids a chance to give back to the community. We have students here from Tipton County, Shelby County, Tipton-Rosemark Academy and even some homeschool students.”
The children came in chopping up roots and loading limbs that will be cleared by the city of Millington later. The volunteers cleared the fences, secured the area so sod could be placed down soon.
During a lunch break, Durley stood to thank the group of volunteers noting how they are clearing out years of trash and giving Millington Central High School a chance to build a new tradition for a sense of pride.
The efforts of the children, adults and local businessmen like Silvey saved MCHS thousands of dollars.
“It’s the least we can do for our community,” he said. “We have to take pride in our community and school. And it looks great out here.”
