The Good Deed

On May 20th, deadly storms, including a tornado over a mile wide, swept through Oklahoma, devastating an area just outside Oklahoma City.  Dozens of people were killed and countless people lost their homes and businesses, with estimated damage to the town of Moore totalling over two billion dollars.

In times like these, when it's hard to watch the news and hear about the devastation that has occured not too far from home, I like to think about Mr. Rogers.  He once said:

“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'” 

 This simple reminder that you can always lend a hand to a neighbor makes me feel like many small acts can help make a difference. 

Last year in April, when 22 tornados touched down in Dallas, Texas Tech football players boarded a bus filled with toiletries and clothing and headed to the town of Lancaster, outside of Dallas to help with the clean-up and render help where possible.   Likewise, after a tornado hit Tuscaloosa, Alabama in 2011, stories of not only Alabama players and Alumni taking part in clean up and recovery came out, of athletes from Notre Dame, Auburn, Mississippi and Texas lending a hand.  

 

Kenny Mossman (@Kenny_Mossman) posted this picture and tweeted:  "Apparently Bob Stoops showed up at a site and blended in for about 30 min before they figured it out (left)."


And even I, with my fierce feelings about rivals, can admit that it was pretty cool of Bob Stoops to go to Moore, without press or cameras to lend a hand in the reflief effort. Along with Stoops, the Kansas and West Virginia Basketball teams raised money and gathered supplies for the victims of the tornado. Even the TCU baseball team lent a hand at a local shelter.


Still - a little hint for Coach Stoops...next time you want to go incognito, wear a hat instead of your visor.