WAPATO, Wash.- Hundreds of families patiently waited their turn at the Road Warrior Travel Center for their chance at school supplies, bikes and a chance to see a local legend in Marjon Beauchamp.
The Milwaukee Buck finished his week back at his old stomping grounds with a event to give back to the community that raised him.
“I know where I come from,” said Beauchamp. “I know there’s not a lot of giving back and a lot of resources for other people. I just want to give hope to the kids, to the people. Growing up seeing my grandpa do the same thing, it’s a blessing.”
After handing out backpacks and haircuts at last year’s drive, Beauchamp’s team came ready with more than double the number of backpacks along with household items including diapers, lawnmowers and grills for the parents that waited with their children.
“It’s good when you see Marjon in the community giving back to the children,” said Lucille Ike, a grandparent who was waiting with her family to meet Marjon. “That’s very important. It was awesome to see, looking at all the kids riding their bikes around.”
Beauchamp says after hosting the drive in Yakima last year, Wapato was selected this year because he sees a need close to the Yakama Reservation.
“I heard they were out since like 8 a.m.,” said the forward heading into his sophomore season. “So you can see there’s a lot of families in need and I’m just glad I can resource and have a partnership with World Vision to do this event.”
The backpack drive was the last of his stops in the Yakima Valley, after hosting basketball camps at Eisenhower High School and having his number retired at Yakima Valley College.
Many of the children at the drive have followed Beauchamp from event to event, seeing him as a local legend.
“My grandson loves playing basketball,” said Ike who took her grandson to each day of the camp. “He got to play one-on-one with him too when we were up there. I was more excited than he was.”
Beauchamp’s seen the reaction the community has to him coming back to town. Instead of letting it get to him, he uses it to set goals for himself.
“I don’t really think of it as a lot of pressure, you know and nothing like that because I know they’re gonna be behind me regardless,” said Beauchamp. “I just try to be the best me I can be for them and set a good example for them.”
As the lines of hundreds of people waiting their turn wrapped around buildings, Beauchamp already has his sights set on another year of giving back to his city and growing the effort every year.
“Its only the beginning,” said Beauchamp. “I have plans to change my community and the people in it.”
