THOMASVILLE — With football season now on hand, the United Way of Thomas County brought in one of the community’s biggest football stars to get its annual campaign kicked off.

Former Thomas County Central High School star — and Florida State University quarterback and NBA star — Charlie Ward returned to his hometown to start the United Way’s fundraising effort, with a goal of $235,000.

Ward, now the boys basketball coach at Florida High in Tallahassee, Florida, emphasized the final five letters of the word community.

“One of the things I was raised on in Thomasville is we help serve one another,” he said. “One thing we have to understand is what are the last five letters in community. My definition is coming together with one common goal and finding a way to stay together through our differences.”

Ward was the 1993 winner of the Heisman Trophy, given annually by New York City’s Downtown Athletic Club to the most outstanding college football player. His percentage of points from voters was the highest for any Heisman winner up to that time.

He was drafted by the NBA’s New York Knicks and spent 11 seasons in the league, most of them with the Knicks. He learned a key lesson in basketball as an eighth grader.

Already considered one of the team’s top players, he was in a fast break drill and with a ball loose on the floor, he chose to stand and reach for it. Another player dived to the floor to get it. 

Ward recalled he later laughed about it when the drill was done, but his coach didn’t think it was funny. To make an example of the young Ward, the coach had him go to the free-throw line and begin what are known as “suicides,” a series of sprints up down the court. 

“Every time after that, if there was a ball on the floor, I dove after it,” he said. 

His first trip on a plane was to a basketball camp in North Carolina. While parents did their part, Ward said, the community also helped to support his trip.

“It gave me an opportunity to go out and explore and see something different,” he said. “What the United Way does is they help bring the community tougher and they provide opportunities for those who may not have that opportunity.”

Ward also stressed finding ways to help, even in times of struggle. That help isn’t limited to financial assistance, he pointed out. It also could be someone’s time that they give.  

“If you are going through some kind of adversity, find a way to reach out and help,” he said. “Is it easy? No, it’s not. Find a way to reach out and help someone when you’re going through something. That’s the toughest time to do it. But it will give you an opportunity to appreciate what you have and where you are, even though you may be struggling.”

The United Way of Thomas County supports 18 member agencies, and Marvin Dawson, treasurer for the local United Way, asked attendees at the kickoff luncheon to take Ward’s words to heart. 

A native of eastern North Carolina, Dawson said he brags on Thomasville. 

“I’ve always been so proud to tell people I live in Thomasville, Georgia,” he said, “because our community is so different. We have a very, very, very special place here. We have a community where we help each other, we support each other, we cheer with each other, we sit down and have lunch with each other, dinner with each other. 

“We have that special connection here. We have to make sure that we continue to do that and one of the ways we are doing it is through the United Way and the 18 agencies we are supporting. Imagine how many people and lives we are touching.”

Dawson also asked the community to continue its support for each other. 

“It does not matter who you are,” he said. “It does not matter how much money you have in the bank. It does not matter your seat on any board or any company. Support one another. Always be willing to give that helping hand to pull somebody up, because that’s what we are about. And the only way we can do it is if we do it together. We have to help each other. We have to support each other.” 

For more, see the Weekend Edition of the Thomasville Times-Enterprise.