Passing the Torch

Twenty fucking years of Emerald City Supporters.

Supporter groups don’t often last this long. But, from top to bottom and across every working group, ECS has an explicit ethos of welcoming all our neighbors, encouraging them to participate, teaching them our history and values, and eventually passing the torch to those that show up. Very few of us today were here when the group started, and fates willing, we’ll someday be in our retirement seats while the group is still going strong.

This display is especially touching to me (if I may break the fourth wall here) since it was designed by my son, in collaboration with our tifo team. He’s grown up in ECS, from an infamous loss at Starfire to a long sought win today in Royal Brougham Park. He’s learned some new vocabulary to not use in elementary school, to paint, play drums, wave flags, travelled, pull ropes, and so much more. Now in college, he’s been supported by so many people in the section through some tough times and I cannot say how much that means.

But this isn’t a unique story. Each of us was brought in by someone else, maybe made lifelong friends, and done our bit for the group. And in turn each of us should aim to bring in the next generation (sometimes literally).

As always, this display was designed, funded, executed, and deployed entirely by volunteers. If you haven’t volunteered before, frankly you are missing out. Get in!

Photo by Mrs_Seam