#21 is a stud
Lattimore is as solid as they come:
http://www.jaspercountysun.com/news/...0-thanksgiving
By Anthony Garzilli
Published on Wednesday, December 3, 2014 - 11:35am |
First Byline:
Anthony Garzilli
Before Marcus Lattimore was ready to spend his favorite holiday at home in Duncan, he wanted to make Thanksgiving special for families in need in Jasper County.
Lattimore, the former University of South Carolina star running back, started his own foundation in 2013. The premise is to help young athletes rebound from severe injuries, but it's also about giving back to whoever needs help.
Last Wednesday evening, Lattimore, his stepfather Vernon Smith and cousins Michael Butler and Anthony Lattimore, were at the Bar-B-Q Grill in Ridgeland helping owner Randy Horton and several volunteers prepare meals that were delivered throughout the county on Thanksgiving.
About 70 meals for individuals and 20 meals for families were prepared. There was turkey, macaroni and cheese, green beans, sweet potatoes, rolls and chocolate pudding.
The meals were given to those seniors on the county's Meals on Wheels route and to families of athletes at Ridgeland-Hardeeville High School that were in need.
The Bar-B-Q-Grill also stayed open for a few hours on Thanksgiving.
Overall, almost 400 people had Thanksgiving meals.
It was all funded by the Marcus Lattimore Foundation.
"This means a lot," Kathy Hightower, executive director of the county's Council on Aging, told Lattimore. "I know what the need is. You are a blessing."
About a month ago Smith called Ridgeland's Jimmy Baker looking for some help. Baker's son Jacob played football at South Carolina and rehabbed his knee injury with Lattimore, who suffered a serious knee injury in 2011.
The teammates and families became friendly. When Lattimore decided to help Jasper County during Thanksgiving, Smith knew who to call.
"I told Jimmy what our vision was and he put a team together," Smith said.
Quickly Baker was able to round up a crew: Randy and Keith Horton, Myra Collins and Hightower along with several Council on Aging volunteers.
Hightower identified people she knew were going to be alone or needed some extra help for Thanksgiving. She wanted to make sure they had a great meal.
One woman has sickle cell anemia, has had both hips replaced and was hosting her four kids, one of whom is blind.
"She was elated," Baker said.
"My seniors deserve it," Hightower said.
Lattimore said Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday. It's about friends, family and food. He wanted the less fortunate to enjoy their holiday.
"I know about down here, the economic situation is not well," he said. "I know people from down here and I wanted to help as many people as I could."
On Friday, Baker said the day exceeded expectations. So much so, he thinks Lattimore and Smith would like for it to be an annual county event. Lattimore fixed plates and signed some autographs on Thanksgiving, helping make the day special for all involved.
The Bar-B-Q grill stayed open for a few hours and fed dozens of families.
Lattimore's foundation aims to help athletes in a variety of ways through three components: outreach, life skills and sports research. The first initiative is going out and helping families like those in Jasper. Last year in Columbia the foundation fed two families and about 10 seniors for Thanksgiving.
The second initiative helps students prepare for the future by teaching proper etiquette, how to prepare for college visits and how to be respectful and act properly.
Sports research promotes safety.
In Spartanburg the foundation raised money for concussion sensors in youth leagues. If a child took a significant hit a red light flashed and the child was removed from the game.
Lattimore was drafted by the 49ers in the fourth round in 2013. He retired in November.
The 23-year-old said he was feeling great, but the focus last week was on Thanksgiving and helping make it a special day for the less fortunate.
"It's special, it really is," he said. "To be able to help the community. It touches me real hard."
Anthony Garzilli
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Originally Posted by JABIII
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