Community comes together to help philanthropist
EL DORADO — El Dorado native and former NFL player Rance Olison has kept his hometown close to heart by giving back in a number of ways.
He is perhaps best known in El Dorado for the annual holiday meat giveaway that is held in honor of his late mother, Carrie Kendrix Buggs, from whom Olison has said he learned the virtue of altruism.
For the past several years, Olison participated in and spearheaded efforts that have served several segments of the community, including clothing and toys for children; fundraisers for the Nile and Marzell Smith Museum of African American History; celebrations those who have helped him along the way; and scholarships to help students go to college.
His charitable contributions extend across state borders with similar work in San Antonio, Texas, where Olison lives, with assistance from people in several other states.
Now, those who have partnered with Olison and/or benefited from his efforts are showing appreciation for him as he faces serious health challenges.
The community is invited to “A Love of Praise” gospel musical, which is set for 6 p.m. on Saturday at New Eastside Baptist Church, 1316 N. Martin Luther King Blvd.
“He has been a blessing to so many people, and we want give some of that back,” said Robbie Charles, a member of New Eastide.
This isn’t the first time the local community has extended its hand out to Olison in recognition of the charitable work he has done.
In April 2016, the Pride and Progress Club selected Olison as the honoree for the annual Jimmy Reed Jr. Memorial Scholarship Banquet.
Olison, who attended both Washington and El Dorado high schools during the transition from segregation to integration of the city’s public schools in the late 60s and early 70s, played football and participated in track, garnering an athletic scholarship to play football at San Diego State University.
While playing football for SDSU, Olison earned a spot on the All Conference team and was named the Most Inspirational player. He graduated with a B.A. in 1975.
As a free agent in the years that followed, he signed and played in the World Football League, with the San Francisco 49ers, the Kansas City Chiefs, and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League.
Olison wrapped up his pro ball career in 1982 in
the U.S. Football League.
He returned to college and earned a second bachelor’s degree in physical education and history from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
Olison has taught, coached and served as athletic director on the university and highschool levels at schools in Arkansas (Crossett High School), Kansas and Texas, retiring in 2009 from the San Antonio Independent School District. He also coached his own minor league football team for 10 years.
Following the 2008 election of President Barack Obama, he marked the historical moment by creating a booklet, titled “What the World Wants from Obama: Barack Obama’s Souvenir Historical Guide from 1619 – 2008.”
In 2014, Olison was welcomed into the American Football Hall of Fame.
He is a member of the National Football League Former Players Association, San Antonio-Austin chapter, of which he was elected president in January 2015.
Olison has often spoken fondly of his life growing up in El Dorado, where, he said, he came of age in a tight-knit community who looked out for his best interests.
His strongest influence was his mother, who taught him and his sisters the importance of being of service to others, he has said.
“That’s what God wants us to do. You give back and watch how it works for you,” he previously told the News-Times.
Referring to his health issues last December, Olison said he was glad to be able to move forward with the 2016 meat giveaway to make sure that low-income families could supplement their holiday meals.
The giveaway served more than 9,500 people in El Dorado and San Antonio who received meat, hoodies, stuffed animals and bicycles.
With Olison’s mother having been a longtime member of New Eastside, Charles said the church’s pastor, the Rev. Anthony Traylor, and congregation agreed that the church would be a fitting venue in which to reach out to Olison with “a gesture of love.”