Oban Saints go shopping
Volunteers from Oban Saints Football Club’s first and second teams, led by first team manager Willie Gemmell, coach Jamie Graham and second team manager Donald Black arranged a food drop last Saturday for people in the community less able to get out and about.
Following an 8am rendezvous at Glencruitten and a talk from commander-in-chief Gemmell on hand sanitising and social distancing, the 12 split into smaller groups and departed for supermarkets to put their highly questionable shopping skills to the test.
Probably amazed to discover supermarkets don’t just sell sweets and alcohol, the Saints shoppers went trolley to trolley with people who actually knew what they were looking for in the already packed shopping aisles.
Volunteers
Forearmed with information from their mothers or better halves on what would be useful purchases and, observing anti bulk buying protocol, the willing volunteers stacked their trolleys with sensible amounts of essential items before heading to the check-outs where purse string holders Gemmell, Graham and Black waited with money collected from player donations and club funds.
Sheltered housing
After dividing the haul and packing it into boxes the Saints’ battle weary old minibus was pressed into action for a food parcel drop to the day rooms of sheltered housing complexes.
Oban’s Dunmar Court, Lynn Court and Torosay Court were all visited as well as Dunbeg’s MacCallum Court and Ford Spence Court in Benderloch.
Also in receipt of grocery boxes were Hope Kitchen in Soroba Road and Blue Triangle in Shore Street.
The club is delighted to have given something back to the community which supports it so well and, for as long as it remains possible to do so in these trying times, Oban Saints management, players and officials will continue to make themselves available to assist those in need of a helping hand.
The club can be contacted through its social media channels or by phoning Willie Gemmell on 07455 260175 or Jamie Graham on 07882 331998.