Nashua School Gives Back To Fallen Athlete

The people of the small town of Nashua have once again proven that small town characteristics are some of the most valuable assets we can possess.

There was a tragic sports accident recently in the small town of Belt. Robert Back is a junior at Belt High School who was injured during a football game on Friday, Sept. 12, and as of recently, was still in the ICU in Great Falls. This sparked the people around the state in schools and communities to pay attention to how precious our children are. In Nashua, the students and faculty stepped up and decided to do their part in a very worthwhile cause of helping out a family in need of not only monetary support but moral support as well.

Athletic Director Jessica Nagy explained that after students and faculty read the story in the paper, they also saw the gofundme account that was set up to help support the family. Belt and Nashua are Class C schools and the community could see that this could happen to any of the students during a game.

For the past two weeks there has been a fundraising drive collecting donations. Those donations have ranged from loose change gathered in grades kindergarten to 12th grade. If that wasn't enough to show how much they cared, the homecoming game ticket sales were also forfeited and in lieu of ticket sales a donation can was set out.

Also tugging at the old heart strings, the FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) student organization is planning on selling ice cream to add to funds raised for Back.

All these efforts combined allowed the students of Nashua to send a check for $1,169 from the athletic department, not counting what the ice cream sales will contribute, to the family to aid in medical expenses. Nagy said $500 was raised from community donations alone during the game Saturday night. Nashua won their homecoming game against Opheim and several Opheim community members also donated to the cause.

Can you imagine how moved they will be to know that complete strangers that are not even in the same ZIP code took the time and concern to do such a grand act of compassion? Nagy said that small communities around the state were challenging each other to help donate to the family. Another Class C school challenged other schools to give their 50/50 funds for one night to the family.

This all symbolizes small town characteristics, where people still know their neighbors' struggles and successes and are willing to help when help is needed.

How proud I am to say that I am not only from a small town but to know that acts such as this are being taught and will live on.