By Angie Ledbetter

It was a day of celebration and work as Deshea Townsend’s 12th Annual Pay It Forward football camp and cheerleader camp got underway Saturday at Robert H. Dunlap Stadium along with the third annual health fair at Batesville Middle school.

Over 400 hundred people went through the health fair getting free health screenings for select medical conditions.

About 200 girls attended the cheerleader camp being taught cheers by the South Panola varsity cheerleaders. An estimated 400 attended the football camp to learn about different phases of the game.

To start the camp, Batesville Mayor Jerry Autrey presented Townsend a proclamation from the city claiming Saturday May 22, 2011 Deshea Townsend Day.

Following that Townsend presented the local American Red Cross a check for $2,500 to help with the latest disasters.

Some of the campers attending were from South Panola, North Panola, Southaven, Marks, Clarksdale, Charleston, Oxford and New Albany.

The National Football League players that helped were Tennessee Titans safety Chris Hope, Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Will Gay and Joe Horne, retired wide receiver who played for Kansas City, New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons.

Townsend used more local people to help with the camp this year.  Some of the locals included  Yoshi Hardrick, Nebraska; Marvin Burdette, University of Alabama Birmingham; Terrance Pope, University of Southern Mississippi; Kerry Hoskins, Johnny Jones, Dennis Montgomery, Paul Morgan, Fred Hentz, Eric Bibbs, Tavares Lee, Bobby Sanford, Roosevelt Jones, Barry Connor, Kevin Thomas  and Dennis Hoskins.

“That’s one thing that’s neat is the amount of talent that we have here,” Townsend said. “Hopefully those guys have reached the potential of where they want to go. Those guys in college can come home and be around the kids that are coming up. It’s also going to teach them how important it is to give back. That’s one of the things I want them to see as they venture into college and the next level with the national football league. It’s important to come back and share what they’ve done with the kids here.”

Townsend said the camp was good.

“It was another great turnout and the kids had a great time,” he said. “Every year when you see those kids turn out on a Saturday when it’s hot and they get told to do push ups, it’s always great. It also shows they want to be better off so it always starts within yourself. It’s good to see that type of turnout. The guys came down to help and it’s always great to come back home to give something to where you’re from.”

Townsend returned this time as a national football league coach and not player. He is an assistant defensive back coach with the Arizona Cardinals.

“It’s always the same,” Townsend said. “Football is football. Getting to stay in the game that you love and that’s the thing that I love about it. It’s good to see another side of it but it’s always great to have the opportunity for another chapter in your life when kids can see they can do whatever they dream about.”

He wants to continue hosting a camp each year.

“That’s what it’s all about. I want that kid to believe you don’t have to be from New York City or Los Angeles, California but you can be from Batesville, Mississippi and still achieve what you want to achieve,” Townsend said. “That’s the mind set that I want them to have. If they work hard, treat others right and have a good time doing it, then they do whatever they want to do. It doesn’t even have to be football. I tell them they can be the greatest doctor or lawyer. They can be productive citizens and that’s the main thing.”

Townsend is currently working on opening a gym with his foundation in Batesville next month. It’s going to be called the Deshea Townsend’s Fitness Academy.

“I think it’s important that we start to train,” he said. “I want to bring some things here that have helped me be successful. We’re going to teach people how to train and educate ourselves on how important our health is. It’s not only about working out but about what we eat and how we eat. The amount of time we spend in the gym is important and being active is important. We have to start young.”