B & G Club director steps into the ring to help raise money

Local Boys & Girls Club director Vance Hammond remembers sitting in front of his television when he was a young boy and watching wrestling legends like Ricky Morton.

Never did he believe he would get the chance to meet them or even work with them.

Hammond achieved both feats last Friday, getting involved in the main event to help Morton and his partner Rex Rumble pick up a victory during a wrestling show hosted by the Boys & Girls Club.

Approximately 150 people packed into the Pecan Street building for the exhibition, helping bring in $500 for the club.

"These things are neat to do, especially because they keep our lights on and our programs running," Hammond said. "Whenever you get the chance for that many people to be here it really exposes them to our club and what we're trying to do."

Something that was not exposed to Hammond until a few hours prior to the show was the storyline for the night. Leading up to the event, the director was asked by youths at the club whether he was going to step into the "squared circle."

"I was being asked by many of the kids whether I was going to wrestle... all I could tell them was I didn't know," Hammond said.

According to Hammond, it meant much more to him for them along with their families to see him get involved to help Morton and Rumble - "the good guys" - win.

"They got me in... it was neat," Hammond said. "At first, I was a little disappointed because I always wanted to believe it was real. But getting into the match was nice."

Since May, the local Boys & Girls Club has hosted two wrestling events.

Hammond said he was disappointed with the turnout for the first show, which was held on the same weekend as a circus and the Shindig at Gaffney Cabin concert series. He said this one was much different.

"We did well this time," Hammond said. "Our goal is to get the community involved, and I think we did just that."

Wrestling is expected to return to the club in October, though a date has not yet been set.

"We are trying to work around Gaffney and Blacksburg's football seasons," Hammond said. "Football is top priority around here and it's our plan to support the schools."