Published: October 12, 2008 11:08 pm      

FCA eyeing new office in Summersville

OAK HILL — Collins Middle School students jumped as high as they could Thursday to high-five Ray Sydnor, a former Philadelphia Eagle and 1980’s All-American who spent his collegiate years outrunning peers while playing football and basketball at Wisconsin.

Sydnor shared his personal story of how he became drug-free and made all his football dreams come to life at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes meeting at the school.

The meeting was made possible through the One Way To Play drug-free program sponsored by the Beckley FCA office, under the leadership of Mike White.

White said his goal is to inspire students to “make choices and avoid drugs and alcohol and be the best you can be by doing that.”

The FCA has been challenging athletes and coaches on every level since the organization came to life in West Virginia in 1961. The Beckley office currently serves more than 30,000 students, and is looking to expand by opening a new field office in Summersville.

Although White has been serving Nicholas County to the best of his ability, there are still thousands of students and athletes not being reached in nearby counties, board member David McClure said in a statement.

White, who will be appointing a field representative to operate the Summersville office, said, “We just have to expand. It’s not without risk. But to reach those other kids and help those coaches and athletes and students in those schools, we have to do it. It is being birthed out of necessity.”

White said the office will have one field representative who will be responsible for many counties, including Nicholas, Clay, Webster, Braxton, Upshur, Gilmer, Lewis, Randolph, Pocahontas and possibly Calhoun. “It will serve around 15,000 students in those counties,” he said.

McClure said, “The board is fully behind Mike and his vision, but with expansion, it requires financial resources to make it happen.”

White says it’s going to take around $65,000 to open the office in 2009. His goal is to have the office up and running by the end of this school year.

If you’d like to make a donation to the FCA, you can mail a check to: P.O. Box 840, Beckley, WV 25801.

— E-mail:

jayres@register-herald.com