CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Kanawha County Commission on Thursday approved thousands of dollars for a local youth football organization as it tries to replace stolen equipment.
An investigation remains underway after someone earlier this month took items from the St. Albans Little Dragons Midget Football League, including helmets, shoulder pads, radio equipment and the body’s sound system. The equipment was placed in a storage shed at McKinley Middle School.
Amber Roy, the organization’s secretary, told commissioners the body does not have insurance for the equipment; the body has liability insurance in case of injuries in a competition.
“The commission has gone to great lengths to help youth sports and youth activities,” Commissioner Ben Salango said. “As Commissioner [Kent] Carper always says, it’s a lot cheaper to keep them in sports than it is to pay for jail time. The more they stay in sports, the more they stay out of trouble.”
Commissioner Lance Wheeler, who noted he was a Little Dragon as a child, said one of the commission’s obligations is ensuring the county’s children have safe athletic opportunities. He referenced former commissioner Hoppy Shores — a proponent of youth sports — while stating his support for the funding.
“It’s sad that someone would break into a storage building just to take essential items that you really have no resale value outside of even a pawn shop,” he added.
The county agreed to pay the football league $7,588.60 so the organization can purchase new equipment.