Honors Finally Arrive For Mobile School

Alabama Mobile Medals are awarded to some Vigor football players.

by Steve Alexander

Published: Fri, December 26, 2008 - 8:29 pm CST Last Updated: Fri, December 26, 2008 - 9:35 pm CST

Christmas has come a day late for some members of a state championship football team from Mobile.
Fourteen members of the Vigor High School football team from the Happy Hill area were awarded medals on Friday.
Friday was the first day of Kwanzaa, promoting unity.
The medals honor not only the students effort in winning the state championship, but their work in promoting positive news for Happy Hill.
They came through the work of a community activist who is the director of the Africatown Welcome Center.
Robert Battles said, "The idea came because of so much negativity that comes out of Happy Hill. They recently just had a report talking about a shooting, but we want to demonstrate to the community that there are some good people in Happy Hill. These are our standard bearers."
The medals have green and white ribbons, the colors of Vigor.
The badges on the back say "State Champions"
When asked what its like to get an honor for all the work the team has done, senior wide receiver Jeremy Lewis said, "It's just a dream come true."
Senior quarterback Keith Ray said, "It feels good to get the respect from people, people who care about us in the community."
And senior running back Jalston Fowler said, "It's great to get the medal. They (people) honor us everywhere we go. Thank God for everything they're doing for us."
Members of Vigor's team can't afford to buy letter man jackets or state championship rings, so the school has set up the Vigor High School State Championship Fund to collect money for jackets.
Battles hopes this ceremony will help jump start that effort.
He said, "I think this is going to be an initiative to get the community behind it because, most other schools, when they have championship teams, the parents and the community get behind them."
If you would like to help the Vigor football team, you can send your donation to the school.

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