In a heartwarming display of teamwork and community spirit, Mason Lopez, an 8th grader, and Gage Lopez, a 6th grader, both wrestlers at Northeastern Randolph Middle School (NERMS), spent their day off school contributing to the school’s newly upgraded wrestling room. The brothers helped install new wall pads, showing true dedication not only to their sport but also to enhancing the school facilities for future generations of wrestlers.
The effort turned into a family affair, with their father, Derek Lopez, grandfather Kevin Bowman, great-grandfather Dewey Gaines, cousin Greg Holt, and friend and coworker Noah Rush all pitching in their time and skills to make the project a success. This collaborative work was part of a larger initiative that included contributions from the NERMS Athletic Booster Club, as well as an online auction fundraiser held this fall.
Local business Learning Environments, located in Liberty, NC, also played a crucial role in the upgrade by donating several wall pads and the necessary hardware for installation. This partnership between the community, local businesses, and school supporters demonstrates that donations can come in many forms—whether it’s financial contributions or the donation of time and materials.
As part of the installation, Mason and Gage signed the back of one of the wall pads, marking it with their names, the date, and a note about their experiences with wrestling. "It would be cool if one day I had a kid that wrestled and I could point to that wall pad and tell them my name was there," said Mason. His younger brother Gage reflected on the significance of the project, saying, "The best thing about this is to be what you told us, Papa (Kevin Bowman), always be a blessing, and I feel I was today."
This heartwarming story showcases the power of family, teamwork, and community involvement in making a lasting impact on the students of NERMS, ensuring that future wrestlers will have a better, safer space to train and grow.
