By EMILY REED / Special to the Advertiser

ISABELLA – Members of Isabella High School’s football team recently spent time volunteering at Raleigh’s Place in an effort to serve those around them.

Andy Mims, IHS football team chaplain and pastor of Mulberry Baptist Church, said his goal for the team this year is to focus on the Bible verse Philippians 2:4, which addresses looking to the interest of others.

“I am hoping to encourage everyone to look at what they can do for others, rather than looking at what they can do for themselves,” Mims said. “We will really be focusing on that this year, and figuring out how we can serve those around us.”

Mims suggested the idea to the team, and roughly two weeks ago about 15 varsity players helped lay sod near the pool at Raleigh’s Place.

Mulberry Sod Farm donated the sod for the team to use for the project.

“We put the sod around the pool area,” Mims said. “They got a new pool, and there was a bunch of red dirt around it. With a big rain or something all of that dirt would wash away, so we decided to lay some sod down.”

Raleigh’s Place installed the pool to use for the organization’s annual summer camp.

Funds for the pool were raising throughout the community during the month of December and matched by McKinnon Nissan in Clanton.

Raleigh’s Place Co-founder Sharon King said the sod will help to prevent mud being formed around the pool by children swimming.

“We were really thankful for them donating their time,” King said. “A lot of the kids would get in the mud and track it into the pool, so the sod helps prevent that from happening.”

The pool is split into a shallow side and a deep side to accommodate younger campers who cannot swim as well.

King said there were 200 campers this summer for the Christ-centered foster care ministry.

Camp 1:27 is the organization’s annual summer camp for children who are in foster homes, institutional settings, relative placements, or those who have been adopted.

According to the organization’s website, Camp 1:27 is free for children who are currently in or have bee through the foster care system, and features aspects of traditional camp including horseback riding, sports activities, and swimming.

Mims said the players were treated to a swim in the pool after finishing their work.

“We were happy to help,” Mims said. “Everyone enjoyed it.”

For more information about Raleigh’s Place, visit raleighsplace.org.