” Donovan Vogler JROTC” was the short text message that I received from Marion Harris during the just completed Chorus trip to New York City. I had reached out to Marion because Chris Manley had mentioned that one of his Raiders was missing when we took our photo 📸 of the cadets a few days ago.

I would love to be more precise about when we took the photo (I think it was Thursday), but the last few days have been a blur.

Our Mr Manley is just two weeks away from taking his hard-working soldiers back to Nationals ! Next stop ✋️is Fort Knox, Kentucky, for our Raiders of JROTC
https://aroundthevalleyin60days.blog/2026/04/02/our-mr-manley-is-just-two-weeks-away-from-taking-his-hard-working-soldiers-back-to-nationals-next-stop-%e2%9c%8b%ef%b8%8fis-fort-knox-kentucky-for-our-raiders-of-jrotc/

Original story link above.

Marion took the time to track down the information during their trip to the Big Apple 🍎 because he knew it mattered to me for the story. Mr Manley spoke very highly of the young man 👨and if he is dedicated enough to split time between Patricia Lineberry and JROTC, he is clearly talented !

We arrived home late last night after announcing a doubleheader up in Beckley, West Virginia. The idea 💡 of waking up at the Crack of dawn was anything but appealing to put it mildly, yet it is Easter.

Thanks to the direction of Mr Bo Goins back when we first arrived here, I have spent the past six Easters by attending the Sunrise 🌅 Service conducted by Pastor Stephen Puckett here in Laurel Fork, Virginia.

Stephen and I are connected in so many ways, but the main two are ministry and Carroll County Schools. Brother Puckett has one monumental advantage in his world 🌎 because he has a very clear title on both ends. When folks see 👀 him, they aren’t wondering who he is or why is he there ?

The ” Minister of Kindness ” could be a moniker for my efforts with OneofUs.Care. Things get a little bit trickier on the school side of things, though, and it varies depending upon which of the three seasons we are in at the time.

After the message this morning, Lin and I were sitting next to Stephen’s father, who is still very much a character and across from a young lady that we will call Chase’s Mom.

We were having a meal that had been prepared by many people and made with love. The conversation switched ⚙️s when Mr Puckett mentioned to the young lady about her son that is now old enough to drive. It turns out that the same young man 👨 is also in JROTC.

God had opened 🙏 up a window 🪟 and while tired, I immediately thought back to stopping what I was doing the other day long enough to create a post for Mr Manley and his group. Getting to share the story and the photo with Mom was a blessing 🙌 and it turned out Grandma and Grandpa were nearby.

For the next 5 to 10 minutes, life was as uplifting as can be. It’s Easter, and you’re in a church ⛪️ with an opportunity to share your thought process about the manner in which you’re trying to serve God.

The Vickey Ritchie portion of this story is that our Angel 😇 on Earth will be making sure that every one of our Special Olympics Athletes has an Easter experience. A combination of Easter Egg 🥚 hunt and Basketball 🏀 practice is slated for this afternoon.

Per the norm, Vickey won’t know how many will attend until they walk through the door. Yet, somehow, Coach will adjust to the numbers and make sure everyone leaves feeling included !

A nap and then a trip to assist an Angel in her efforts and then another nap after the second half of South Carolina and UCLA.

It’s Easter, and my cup 🥤is overflowing!

Yesterday was a day of loss in my mind, but the defeat of the Lady Blue Devils to UCLA or West Virginia Tech University Baseball at Shawnee State.

At the end of his annual banquet, Anthony Barnes made an announcement that I felt was coming. Barnes is stepping down as the Boys Varsity Head Coach at Carroll County High School 🏫 and it hurts a bit for a number of reasons.

Barnes took over the top spot at the same time that we moved to Carroll County. In that respect, we both have six years on the job, and I am already missing the coach. Barnes led with his heart ❤️ and always put his players first, the exact same thing that Vickey Ritchie does every Sunday a few miles up the road.

Barnes found success at CCHS without any can’t miss prospects. He just rolled up his sleeves and created a team first mindset that his players all bought into. His Cavaliers would run through a brick wall 🧱 for him because they also felt that their Coach had their back.

Elijah Cox, Davis Reitzel, Bryce Smoot, Jabin Talley, Cody Reece, Ethan Richardson, and Isaiah Easter are just some of the players that grew up under the guidance of Barnes, Kris Richardson and Jason Stockner.

1,000 point scorers, All-Time Boys leading scorer, and a trip to the State Tournament were just some of the accomplishments that took place over the past six years. The common thread to the time under Barnes was just how unselfish his players were on the court and how much they grew off the court.

The motto in life for me is to always leave it better than you found it, and Coach Barnes did just thathat on The Hill.

The next chapter of the story will include Blake Reed, Colton Gravley, Hayden Jackson, Will Motley, and Eli Lark, amongst others. Mr DeHaven and Mr Thompson will do their very best to find the next coach, and life will go on.

I will go to my grave believing that you can not teach someone to Care, its in your DNA. Yesterday afternoon, I spent time with two basketball coaches that care first about their players as people, and that allows them to be successful.

Yes, Kira Lawson and Duke were on the cusp of a major upset yesterday as they faced a Bruins team that thumped us by 30 points four months ago. We lost a basketball game, and while it stings because of caring about the players, it was just a game.

The greater loss yesterday afternoon was the loss of a man who led his team with dignity, pride, and compassion. Even more importantly, Barnes did things the right way !

Best of luck going forward with the next chapter of your life, Coach. Know that you touched the lives of many a Cavalier and fans during your time on The Hill.

Thankfully, Coach Vickey signed a lifetime contract because I don’t think that I could have handled another setback yesterday.