Carter's Corner: Gators Lend Helping Hand in South Africa, Langford's Special Mother's Day

The group of Gators who went to South Africa on a service trip through the GatorMade program: Tyreak Sapp, Devin Moore, Derek Wingo, Kingsley Eguakun, Chris McClellan, Princely Umanmielen, Justin Pelic, Ja'Markis Weston, Teradja Mitchell, Chase Clark, Scooby Williams, Trevor Etienne and Aidan Mizell (standing, left to right). Kneeling: Jaydon Hill, Diane LeBon and Savannah Bailey. (Photo: Tamsyn Stonebarger/UAA Communications)

Carter's Corner: Gators Lend Helping Hand in South Africa, Langford's Special Mother's Day

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 | General, Football, Scott Carter

By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The part of Cape Town known as Lavender Hill is gang-infested, disadvantaged and dangerous for kids who call it home.

Drugs are prevalent, and it's not unusual to hear gunfire in the poor neighborhoods that dot the area. Still, many of those who live in the community, commonly referred to as "apartheid's dumping ground," envision a brighter future for one of Cape Town's most troubled sections.

More than a dozen members of UF's football spent last week in South Africa as part of a service trip via the GatorMade program. Part of the group's mission was to help build a water system and other infrastructure at a Lavender Hill youth center that serves as a safe space for kids in the region to play sports and participate in various activities.

Football players from the University of Florida are helping the Rise Above Development's (RAD) Youth Centre in Lavender Hill to create a self-sustaining vegetable garden:https://t.co/tTfXHJe88W
— Cape {town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) May 16, 2023

Gators linebacker Derek Wingo was part of the UF contingent that made the trip, which if marked by a straight line, is nearly an 8,000-mile flight from the UF campus.

Still recovering from the return flight home, Wingo said Wednesday the journey opened his eyes wider to how fortunate he and his teammates are to call the U.S. home. Wingo said the kids they met don't have anything close to the quality of life he had growing up.

"They honestly want a better life, they want to do good,'' Wingo said. "We realized that by hanging around them and talking with them. They don't want to be involved in the negativity down there and some of the violence, and sometimes it's just how they're born. They wish so bad that they had the opportunity to have a better life.

"We played soccer with them, we played basketball, played tag and stuff like that. It was super cool to be able to feed off their energy but also to teach them some things and spend time with them. It not only helped them, it helped us."

An organization named Rise Above Development is building a youth center, sports facility and community garden in the heart of Lavender Hill, with plans to eventually include a music studio, computer lab, library, internet café and outdoor theatre.

The Gators' trip drew the attention of Cape Town Etc., a magazine and website that covers the city. Cape Town continues to transition from its apartheid era, which legally ended in 1994.

An unforgettable moment.

🎥 Wrapping up our service with the Lavender Hill community. #GatorMade | #GatorsInSouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/bckd7beZ1P
— Florida Gators Football (@GatorsFB) May 10, 2023

However, many of the city's black population was removed and relocated in areas outside the city that have no regular public transportation and minimal infrastructure.

The Gators did take time to get a taste of the culture while abroad, including a visit to Table Mountain and dining on local cuisine. But the reason they were there resonated the most for Wingo, and that was to offer a hand toward a better future for some of Cape Town's most underprivileged residents.

"I think that was the biggest thing that a lot of us were able to take out of it was just kind of realizing what we have to be grateful for," Wingo said. "And then also being able to help them out with stuff like the water lines and the pipelines. Even the small things that we did, like seeing how much it really meant to them was kind of the big thing that made the trip, honestly, really amazing."

THE SWAP

Hats off to Gators outfielder Wyatt Langford. Actually, let's make that gloves off.

Langford, Wyatt (2023 vs. Vanderbilt) — **Scottie Jamison**, left, and **Wyatt Langford** after Sunday's game. (Photo: Courtesy of Jamison family)

Langford delivered a memorable birthday present to 11-year-old Scottie Jamison on Sunday, and after a postgame exchange, was able to give his mom a keepsake baseball on Mother's Day.

Nick de la Torre of On3.com has the story here, which started when Langford blasted a 450-foot homer in Sunday's win over Vanderbilt.

The ball ended up in the hands of Jamison, who was at Condron Ballpark with his father, Scott Jamison. After the game, the younger Jamison waited on Langford to see if he would sign the ball. When his father shared the story about the ball, Langford offered a trade.

In return for the ball — which he wanted to present to his mother — Langford offered to sign the batting gloves he wore during the game and give them to Scottie.

Deal struck.

Everyone left the ballpark happy. The Gators swept the Commodores to move into sole possession of first in the SEC East. Scottie had a pair of signed batting gloves from his favorite player. And Langford had a special baseball to give to his favorite mom.

Hey, mom was happy, too.