Day: August 23, 2026

The life of Coach Vickey Ritchie and friends thru the 📷 of Mrs Samantha!A few more pics than normal for here, but they tell a beautiful story about a Lady who puts the word Special in the Special Olympics !

One day, after celebrating her 65th birthday 🎂, Vickey Ritchie was back in the Gymnasium at Hillsville  Elementary School, acting like, well, acting like a dinosaur 🦕.

Today was our fourth straight Sunday together, and each week, the folks joining us are different. Different in numbers and in personality with our mission being to make sure that whoever shows up feels like they are part of something special.

Today, the number of participants was 22, same as last time, just a different 22. We celebrated two birthdays, and I truly believe that the energy was as high as any that I’ve heard on a non-Classic Sunday afternoon.

I consider it an honor 🎖 to be a wingman to such an incredible person who is also trying hard to do God’s work!

Thank you, Samantha, for your efforts in framing the day !

Breaking News from The Hill : We have a new partner in the spreading of joy !

While all four of these young ladies were absolutely amazing to spend time with over the weekend, the one on the far left has agreed to cross over to the ” Light Side.” Thank you to Star Wars for that play on words.

In hopes of protecting her identity going forward, we have to assign her a catchy code name –  Agent Way Cool Little Sis is my first choice, but it’s a work in progress.

See each year the search for folks that get what the goal is here because we lose contributors for a number of reasons.

The goal is pretty straightforward, treat everyone equally and set out to make people smile, doing so without harming anyone in doing so.

A.W.C.L.S also supplied a nugget in my search for five minutes with Erin Gibson. Turns out that the two of them were on a volleyball 🏐 court together while she was just a freshman.

First things first, I wasn’t aware that Erin played volleyball, and that is something that Cindy Edwards will have to explain later.

Trying to make the world 🌎 a better place for everyone is hard work, but it’s the mission that I am on.

https://share.google/5qiIGqUxPTLnXOYNA

Put this photo 📸 in the hopper as it will lead to a story.

Two different worlds 🌎 separated by just 3 miles defined our Sunday afternoon !

Getting to meet Mr & Mrs D1 along with two up and coming Lady Cavaliers.
Turning 65 hasn’t slowed down Dino – Lady

After Church ⛪️ it was off to Bill Worrell Field, then Hillsville Elementary School, and eventually back to the ballpark.

Enough material for at least a dozen different stories as is often the case, my brain 🧠 struggles to process the information fast enough.

The Alumni Game is underway, and we shift our focus to the starting lineups for our Special Olympics Basketball 🏀.

Today, we have 21 athletes and partners, and Dino Lady is using the snack break to create the Blue and White teams.

The ballgame is set to last 7 innings so there is a shot of getting back for the end of things.

Need to say thank you once again to Ryan McCafferty for taking the time to come over once again.

It’s time to introduce some amazing people so more will come later.

Made it back across The Hill as things were wrapping up, but it did allow for a crossing of the paths with Mr & Mrs Chuck Thompson !! In real life, Mr Thompson is our principal and fearless leader, while in my imaginary world 🌎 that is The Hill, he has super powers and is the Gate Keeper to the entire universe!

It’s a tough job, but I think he’s up to the task !

I have to mention that both Casey Burcham and Vickey Ritchie knew that the rain 🌧 last night created an overlap in places to be, and both happily deferred to the other. ❤️

We split our time the best we could and now have made it back to the cows 🐄 out here in Laurel Fork.

There are plenty of stories to work on and one statement to make until then. I have unlocked 🔓 the mystique for the air around Bill Worrell Field….