A group of area teens took time last week to participate in the third annual First Priority Sporting Clay challenge.
Harrison Miller, Clay Powell, Cole Pearson and Zachary Sanders enjoyed last Thursday’s excursion and even got to meet retired Major League Baseball pitcher Jonathan Papelbon.
For Miller, it was his third year to participate in the charity event. He said he and his friends were able to put together the team and even receive community service credit from Columbia High School. Three of the four are on the CHS baseball team and were thrilled to meet Papelbon and even had him sign a baseball, which will be auctioned off to help raise funds for improvements at Sapen Field.
“It’s been a great experience for me and it’s something I look forward to every year,” Miller said. “I get to meet lots of people and it prepares me for hunting season.”
Miller’s uncle, J.D. Simpson, had been director of First Priority for 19 years. Though the organization doesn’t do many fundraisers, proceeds from events such as this and the annual golf tournament and auction help support the ministry.
The mission of First Priority is to empower local churches to raise student leaders to reach their generation and restore our nation one city, one school, and ultimately one student at a time, according to its Facebook page. First Priority is a strategy to help churches unite and cooperatively extend their youth ministries onto the local public middle and high schools evangelistically.
Miller said it was a very good experience for his team, the only “teen” competitors in the event. He was also excited to meet Papelbon, a Mississippi State graduate, who pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies and then recently retired from the Washington Nationals.
“He was a cool guy,” Miller said. “I’m a pitcher, too, so it was really cool to meet him in person.”
Pictured Above: Pictured from left to right are Clay Powell, Harrison Miller, Jonathan Papelbon, Cole Pearson and Zachary Sanders. The area teens enjoyed meeting Papelbon. | Photo Submitted
