Published: 12:13 AM, Fri Apr 16, 2010
Giving back: Curry donates to E.E. Smith
By Earl Vaughan Jr.
Scholastic sports editor
When it came to giving back to his alma mater, E.E. Smith, Aaron Curry wanted no fuss, no fanfare, no big announcement.
That's why he had to be asked to even comment on the $100,000 donation he recently made to his school's athletic program.
Even then, he was hesitant to make a big deal about it, at least a big deal for Aaron Curry.
"Aaron made the donation because he cares a lot about the school,'' said a spokesman for Octagon, the management firm overseeing his NFL career with the Seattle Seahawks.
"He isn't looking for the public relations value,'' the spokesman said. "He's just fortunate to be in this position and wants to be able to help.''
Smith athletic director John Smith said he discussed the idea of a donation to the school with Curry when he was home recently for a ceremony to retire his E.E. Smith football jersey.
"He sees our program needs a lot of help,'' Smith said. "We wanted to make sure to do exactly what he wanted to do with the money.''
One major area of concern is the weight room at Smith. Last year's football team showed some improvement, but Smith said the squad wasn't strong in late-game situations and more emphasis on weight training was needed.
"We're going to do a new weight room and we've started working on that,'' Smith said.
Improving the football program will have a beneficial effect on the athletic program as a whole, Smith said. "When you struggle in football, you struggle financially,'' Smith said, referring to the fact football gate receipts help pay for the entire athletic program. "He wants to make a positive impact and that's one reason it was such a substantial gift.''
Curry isn't the first former Smith player to help out, Smith said. Jimmy Raye and Charles Baggett, both veteran assistant coaches in the NFL as well as college, have made financial contributions over the years.
Curry's contributions were both recent and personal as he took time to visit the school, and to remind students he once walked the same halls.
"The days after he was drafted, he came back to Smith and was lifting weights with those kids,'' Smith said. "That shows you the commitment, to show he could reach back and help somebody else.''
Scholastic sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. can be reached at vaughane@fayobserver.com or 486-3519.
Three area coachs give other examples of athlete altruism
Bob Lewis
Former Clinton coach Bob Lewis sent a number of players to the NFL during his years coaching the Dark Horses. Players such as Jerris McPhail and Leonard Henry have come back to the community where they are giving of their time and talents today as good citizens.
But when it comes to financial generosity, it's hard to top the contributions of Willie Parker, now with the Washington Redskins.
Parker has held a couple of summer camps in Clinton for football players, bringing his former Pittsburgh Steeler teammates along. Proceeds from the camps went to the Clinton athletic department.
In an arrangement with Nike, he gave shoes, gloves and T-shirts to the football team.
He also held Days in the Park, renting rides and games for the local children to take part in. Thanksgiving a couple of years ago, he served up dinner to all comers at a local recreation center.
But one of his most special gifts came at Christmas not long ago, when someone stole a large collection of toys, mainly bicycles, that had been collected for local children.
Parker purchased enough toys on his own to make up for what had been taken.
Bob Paroli
Few coaches have sent as many players to the NFL as Seventy-First's Bob Paroli, and few have had them return the favor as often to the coach and the school.
During his days at Douglas Byrd, Paroli saw Kinnon Tatum, Brad Edwards, Calvin Lowry, Donnell Woolford and Joe Horn make it to the NFL.
All of them contributed varying amounts of money over the years.
Paroli used the money from one donation to buy new goalposts at Seventy-First. Money also went to things such as new benches.
Many times the donations were for smaller items, like T-shirts, shorts and pregame meals for the players.
But Paroli said the money given to the program isn't the real reward, although it's certainly important. "What is important is what they think of the experience they had while they were with us,'' Paroli said.
"That's what's important. There's no way you can appreciate what they do for you.''
Milton Butts
Former players continued to reach out and help Milton Butts after he left E.E. Smith to become the new head coach at Westover. He's since departed Westover and is coaching at Hoke County now.
Butts said former Smith players Aaron Curry and Demarcus "Tank" Tyler helped with things such as shoes and meal money while he was at Westover, as did Jason Hunter.
Butts said a couple of the players Tyler helped get shoes wrote him thank you letters. "He had that letter in his locker,'' Butts said. "Aaron did the same thing. It does more for them than it does for us, just the feeling they are giving back and giving something to someone else.''
Butts said Tyler came through in a big way for him last year when he was searching everywhere for a pair of size 19 football shoes for Westover player Michael Jones.
"I called all over the place to find them,'' Butts said. "Tank sent him the shoes, and he was real proud of them.''
Butts said he shares the message of what Curry and Tyler have done for his players to teach them to do the same. "We preach to them this is what you want to do if you ever get the opportunity,'' he said. "Keep passing it along.''