Roy Exum: Would Mr. Summers’ Clients…

  • Friday, April 24, 2015
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

It was a beautiful day at Orange Grove Friday as the nationally-famed center, which cares for over 1,000 intellectually disabled children of all ages, celebrated its annual “Lunch of Champions” with a packed house in the Bucky Williams Gymnasium. Jerry Summers, who insiders know has done more for Orange Grove than any other man alive, not only emceed the event as he does every year, but he actually hosted it, personally buying everybody’s catered lunch from Carrabba’s Restaurant.

So what I am getting ready to reveal may be unfair after the popular defense attorney has literally volunteered at Orange Grove for a lifetime, but I do so for this reason: The annual Orange Grove event is the best in town because by the time it ends year after year, everybody who attends feels like they’ve just had lunch with their best friends.

“As a matter of fact, this is the only place the district attorney and I completely agree,” quipped the highly-respected Summers, who serves on the board that is now chaired by Hamilton County’s hard-hitting District Attorney General, Neal Pinkston.

“Everywhere else I see Neal he’s trying to put my clients in jail!”

As is the custom at large gatherings, they asked the special guests to stand, then they asked the politicians to stand, and then the world-class staff to stand. They asked the Carrabba’s servers to stand and also asked those who helped launch the world-class center back in 1953 to stand.

So the greatest quip of the day came from featured speaker Jim Foster, just seconds before the meeting was adjourned. The fun-filled Foster stage-whispered to Orange Grove executive director Kyle Hauth, “Just for kicks, let’s ask all of Jerry’s clients to stand!”

Foster, the Hall of Fame women’s basketball coach, was brilliant in his remarks to the crowd, telling of his brother and his sister who were both mentally challenged when he grew up and how blessed he has been because of it. He also talked about his great loved and respect for the late Henry Davenport, a former student at Orange Grove, who Foster and his teams at Vanderbilt and Ohio State literally adopted. “Everybody who knew Henry was better for it.”

And Jim told several stories about Henry’s great laughter and unintentional wit. “Once Vanderbilt was playing in Knoxville and we were at the pregame meal. They brought Henry this huge steak and it was cooked so well done it was charred. I told Henry that maybe he should ask for the next one to be cooked medium, you know, so it would be pink and juicy and have a better flavor. “No way, Jim … everybody knows red meat isn’t good for you.”

Foster also said that once the two were riding in his car when a radio commercial compared Pepsi and Coca-Cola. “Which do you like better?” the coach asked Henry, “You know, I’ve never taken the time to think about it.” Foster threw his hands up, “All I wanted was an opinion but with Henry you always got an answer!”

Foster was the perfect speaker but he also got an unexpected challenge as the best speaker from Orange Grove student Roger Freshour, now age 31 after spending the first 98 days of his life in Erlanger’s PICU. He had a cranial bleed, resulting in cerebral palsy, and more recently had a bout with cancer. His doting family said he has never once complained, his happiness evident.

“When he came back after chemotherapy, and was making the rounds greeting all of his friends, he called me over and said he had a secret to share,” revealed Hauth. “He told me that if I ever had a program, or needed him to speak, he’d like to do that.”

A video depicting Roger’s life, his dauntless spirit and his eagerness to ask for contributions was fabulous. “When I first started at Orange Grove I didn’t know what to expect,” he said from his motorized wheelchair. “But I found this place to be a dream come true,” he beamed brightly. “They gave me a life.”

Roger paused, gathering his thoughts as his proud step-mother stood by his side and then he said with the earnestness of a child, “Thank you for helping me,” which was a close second as the best line of the day.

* * *

It was an extra-special day for those at the luncheon when Jerry Summers announced that Bucky Williams, for whom the modern gymnasium is named, was celebrating his 44th birthday on Friday. It hasn’t been that long ago when the delightful Bucky and many of his classmates at Orange Grove would have never seen their 44th birthday.

* * *

The annual banquet kicks off the ever-important fund raising efforts for the center and with a staff that is now almost 800, the needs are persistent, to say the least. Those who would like to join in Orange Grove’s success should send donations to Kyle Hauth, the executive director, or to Heidi Hoffecker, the director of development, at Orange Grove Center, 615 Derby Street, Chattanooga TN 37404. Online donations, which are also tax deductible, can be made at www.orangegrovecenter.org

* * *

Antoine Campbell was named as Orange Grove’s Person of the Year and, through the highly-successful Community Supports program, is working three days a week at Memorial Hospital’s cafeteria. One of his teachers, Mary Beth Brooke, tells a wonderful story.

“One of Antoine’s classmates had a terrible fear of walking across a medal grate that covers a large open spot. Antoine happened to notice and ran up to the scared boy, stuck out his arm, and the two walked across the grate without stopping,” she said. “Every day since then, the boy waits at the grate on Antoine and they lock arms and walk across together. He knows Antoine isn’t scared but that Antoine will also take care of him.”

And that’s the true spirit of Orange Grove.

royexum@aol.com

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