Diablo Fit: Danville Track Team donates to fallen Oakland Police Officer

High school team raises funds for the family of slain Danville resident, Sgt. Ervin Romans.

Amid the din and drama of life’s daily news bulletins there are times when important events and notable accomplishments fall through the cracks.

This week, Diablo Fit wants to recognize Danville’s Monte Vista High School track team who on April 1 raised more than $1,400 for Sgt. Ervin Romans’ family trust. Romans, a Danville resident, was one of the four officers who was killed in the tragic Oakland shooting when Lovelle Mixon, a wanted 26-year-old parolee, opened fire on the officers on March 21.

Struck by the news, Monte Vista assistant track coach and ultra-marathon runner Sharon Kovar (click here to read Diablo's feature on Kovar) suggested to her team they help out by donating to the Forward Motion Sports run and fundraiser for Sgt. Romans to be held later that week. Three days later Kovar was able to personally hand the team’s total donation of $1,450 to store owner Marty Breen, making a grand total of $9,500.

“Just seeing the kids reaction to being a part of something special was amazing. I was really taken aback by how many kids from the Monte Vista track team who donated money,” Kovar says, and explained that many kids spent money out of their own pockets, giving checks that ranged from $50 to $100.

“I think they were struck by the fact that someone from their town was killed,” says Scott Camp the team’s middle distance coach. Camp says that he looks at the team’s contribution as simply doing what was right, giving help where help was needed.

“I believe, in the kid's minds, this was just an extension of what they do every day. Doing it to help someone else made it even more important to them,” he says.

Senior and track team captain Mike Roderick said he remembers how shocked he was when he first heard about the news. “I was pretty upset. My dad is a police officer and I realized that it could have happened to him. It made me appreciate how lucky I am.”

Roderick says he gained a greater perspective participating in the event because of its link and benefit to others. “I thought it was cool to be able to do it to help some kids that live in our town. Usually, I run to make myself better; it was nice to be able to make my community better at the same time.”

Kovar says that the experience was an outpouring of support and the effect it had on her team was something that could never be taught in textbooks. “I was really overcome with such sadness,” she says “It was such a tragedy and it always seems to hit you harder when it is so close to home … It felt good to all of us to feel as though we were making a small difference … a footprint, that will hopefully, be remembered.

Forward Motion Sports is still accepting donations and, if you’d like to donate, checks can be made out to Romans Children’s Family Trust and delivered to Forward Motion Sports in Danville, 925-820-9966. For more information on fundraisers and to donate to the other slain Oakland officers, go to opoa.org.

 

Got a good health & fitness tip or story idea? E-Mail us at fit@maildiablo.com.

 

 

Posted at 04:35 PM in Best Of Editor Picks | Permalink