Bixby Football Team Takes Break To Clean Up Storm Debris

Many members of the Bixby High School football team spent the morning cleaning up storm debris in a neighborhood hit hard by last week's storms.

The boys cleaned up a south Bixby neighborhood and hauled the debris to a drop off site. When they finished, they received a reward for their hard work.

The Bixby High School Football team is used to spending Fridays off the field.

Player Tyler Harlan said, "This is our off day, so we just hang out with each other, try to do something fun and really relax after a long week of work."

But Friday, they had something better to do.

"A few trees down, and we just wanted to come help some people that maybe didn't have the resources," player Drake Allen said.

After last week's storms left many in Bixby with snapped and uprooted trees in their yards, the boys decided to help clean up. 

"Not too much stuff, but it was hard work," said Harlan.

Allen said, "It doesn't really feel like chores. We're out here just hanging out and helping people out."

Allen said it's important for his team to give back to the community.

"These people come out and support us every Friday night, just coming to the games and stuff. And so, I feel like it's just good for us to come help them," he said.

Coach Loren Montgomery said, "Our community is so good to us, and supports everything we do from an athletic and football perspective, that it's just one small thing we can do - a token of appreciation."

And when Spartan Nutrition found out what the boys did to help, the owners decided to show that appreciation right back, by making free smoothies for all the players.

Montgomery said being rewarded for hard work made for a productive day off the field.

"It's good for our boys to learn what it's like to give back, and to develop a spirit of giving, and being servants of the community," he said.

Bixby residents can drop off debris from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. during the week, and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. during the weekend.

The site is located at 131^st St. between Mingo and Garnett.