This past Saturday at Thomas Worthington High School in Columbus, The DRIVEN Foundation hosted it’s Flag Football game featuring former Buckeyes and benefiting the Stefanie Spielman Fund. Several former Buckeyes were participating as well as others representing The Columbus Christian Center Church who also sponsored the event.

The weather may have put a damper on the attendance, but it did not put a damper on the spirit of the event or those playing. The day started with Driven founder and President Roy Hall organizing everyone and getting them ready to play by leading them through warm-ups. He also took the time to have a pre-game get together in the locker-room with all of us to do a meet and greet and Pastor Davis Forbes led us in a wonderful prayer. Let’s take a look at who took the field.

Rosters

BLACK. Pastors- David C. Forbes Jr.(Pastor at Columbus Christian Center Church) , Minister Rick Davis (CCC), Former Buckeyes- Roy Hall, Maurice Clarett, Antonio Smith, Stan Jackson, Gary Berry. Cory Waite (Columbus resident, plays baseball at BW), Jeremy Ford, Darren Hawkins(Frosh @ DeSales)

PINK. Former Buckeyes- Maurice Lee, Nate Oliver, Trevor Robinson, Matt Trombitas, Dimitrios Makridis. Dominic Jones(CCC, played at Minnesota). Members of CCC Church; Dexter Dodson, Dave Walker, Tarquin Carroll, Onesiaum Glass. Christian Yanok (Kicker for both teams and plays at North Albany)

The game started off with a kick-off return for TD by Pastor David Forbes for the Black squad, and even though physically blocking cannot happen during flag football, I cannot confirm or deny it happened. It had some of the Pink players in shock and asking “did he actually do that?” Big congrats to Pastor David for the return and what started a nice shootout for the rest of the day.

The Pink team led at halftime at which time the Driven Foundation surprised a local woman who is an amazing 16 year survivor. Susie Dupler-Telle was honored for her fight against breast cancer and being a wonderful example of the work that God can do. She received red roses and a porcelain tile that has a pink ribbon and the word survivor across the top of it. Everyone in attendance autographed it.

The second half was a fast and furious pace. The black squad was playing catch-up as time began to run off the clock, and someone familiar with comebacks took charge. Stan Jackson assumed his place in shotgun just like he had never left and led the team down the field on back to back drives to eventually take the lead 42-40 with little time on the clock for the Pink to do anything.

As the full time kicker had done all day, he swatted an onside kick that passes the front line of the Pink team and was recovered by Black to all but seal the win.

Enough time to take a knee, which isn’t allowed in flag football, the QB that Stan replaced ran out the clock by scoring on a long run to make the final score 48 to 40. All in all it was a great day for the event. Sets a nice precedent for future events and to help feed the success that is DRIVEN and The Stefanie Spielman Fund. The next event for DRIVEN is a huge undertaking and already a great success. On Saturday, December 15th at Livingston Elementary in Columbus. The DRIVEN Foundation will be handing out 100,000 pounds of food to families in need. For more information, please contact the one day ball girl Josselyn Timko at [email protected]

I also want to tell you about another program that is vital to their efforts and I am proudly a part of it. It is called the DRIVEN Offensive Line. You can donate in any way you like but the way that helps greatly is a recurring gift. All you have to do is go to their website and sign up to donate $20 and they can set it up to happen every month. There were a lot of things I chose to give up to be able to do my part and jump into the trenches. Proceeds help benefit all programs and specifically are helping with the food give away. The more we have giving, the more families we can help!

#RH8

A HUGE thank you to my best friend Gary Russell for helping officiate the event with me and his Friday night crew-mate Terry Ford. An even bigger shout-out and thank you to Carrie Ellis  for the pictures and having such a wonderful young girl Jordy,  who is fighting cancer herself.

Give Carrie a follow and let her lift you up!!!