Salamanca community comes together for 44 & Me Foundation walk
By SPENCER BATES, Sports Editor
September 13 was an emotional day for Salamanca.
Not just because it was the day of its football team’s highly anticipated matchup against league rivals Portville/Cuba-Rushford, but also because it was the one-year anniversary of the passing of former Salamanca football player and beloved community member Darren Ross.
The passing of Darren shook the Salamanca community as the Salamanca City School District, its athletics programs and the community that rallies behind them mourned the loss of a constant source of empowerment. It was not long after that shirts, banners and much more of the like popped up around the Salamanca community adorned with the number 44, Darren’s former football jersey number, and #RossStrong.
This year, on the first anniversary of his passing, the 44 & Me Foundation, established by Darren’s wife, Melanie Ross, a teacher in the Salamanca City School District, held a walk at Veterans Memorial Park prior to the Warriors’ kickoff against P/CR. The walk started at 6 p.m. sharp and lasted 44 minutes.
This was not the first walk that Melanie had organized with the foundation, but she said it was the first of its size after the events continued to grow with more community participation. The walks have also helped raise money for a new scholarship in Darren’s name at Salamanca, with its first recipient having been his son Jaxson Ross at the end of the last school year.
After Darren graduated from Alfred University, he returned to Salamanca and began his work with the children of the community through different programs. He was also involved in coaching football to the players that are now taking the field for the varsity team. It is because of these aspects of Darren’s life that Melanie said the walks are a great way to keep his memory in the forefront.
“That's just one way to keep his spirit alive, is doing these walks, involving the children,” Melanie said. “I mean, if you ask a kid, they know who he was. They remember him, and all my students that I had knew who he was. … These kids that play (football) right now, he coached them. So, it's in them, the things that they learned from him. But, you know, it’s not just all about sports too. It's just about being a kind person. One thing that he drilled with the kids was that it's all about mindset. One thing he often would say to the kids is that you really don’t have to do anything, you don’t have to go out on the football field, you don’t have to go out in the lacrosse box, you get to.”
Melanie said that Darren was all about empowering the next generation. Whether it be in sport, academics or another facet of life, he was all about fostering the spirit and pride of the youth.
“That's one thing about Warrior Pride, just having that always in the back of your head,” Melanie said. “I always say it to myself, ‘What would Darren do? What would Darren say?’ That usually makes me a better person.”
As for the turnout of the walk, Melanie was overjoyed and thankful to the Salamanca community which, just like she teaches in her classes, proved to be one big family.
“One thing we say a lot at school is that we work and treat each other as a family,” Melaine said. “So obviously if someone in our community is struggling, or someone in our community needs help, or someone in the community is fighting, we do come together and try to help. That’s one thing I love about the Salamanca community.”
Comments