Last week, the City of LaGrange recognized Vince Sutton for his contributions to the community by naming the very street that he grew up on after him.

Listening to the conversations surrounding the decision, it quickly became obvious to anyone paying attention that despite his college football career and his other notable accomplishments, the reason why the council was so eager to vote in favor of the renaming was because of what he accomplished in the years between playing for University of Alabama and the onset of disease. It was his work with local children that earned him the glowing accolades that filled each discussion.

Both the city and the LaGrange Housing Association’s recognition of the mentor that Sutton has been is something that we do all too rarely.

The men and women that serve as guiding lights for our youth change the face of the community as a whole. Every time someone takes it upon themself to step forward to teach a child how to throw a football  or how to solve a math problem or just to provide a listening ear, they are investing in the future of our community.

We would like to offer our thanks to Sutton for the children he has helped, and also thank all the other people in our community who step forward to help our youth. Thank you for your investment in our community.