Dear Editor

(The following is a slightly twisted version of a letter to the editor, I believe, The Columbia Olde Grey should be sending to The State, Free Times and any other newspaper that will print it. The facts are not complete, but you get the jist.)

Dear Editor,

The concept of public property seems to have been lost in Bob Coble's City and the counties in which it lays and left one long-standing public organization without a home and without a place to play.

For the past forty years, Columbia has been ably represented in the field of sporting fair play by one team who enjoy a minor sport, but one that has brought a major benefit to the City.
Now, however, Columbia's only men's rugby team, your own Columbia Olde Grey, is scrambling around town, relying on favors simply to find a place to play.

Recently, Columbia's Parks and Recreation authority has deemed us unworthy of using one piece of publicly owned property on which we have paid for the pleasure to pay for and use for more than a year.
We are an organization in need, an organization that has been a stalwart good citizen and ambassador for not just Columbia but all of South Carolina. An organization that has been forgotten by those that are elected or employed to serve our needs.

In recent years, The Olde Grey have brought benefit to outweigh our mascot -- an African rhino.
Twice-yearly charity tournaments bring dozens of teams and hundreds of men and women to the city to play their sport, enjoy the City's entertainment, sleep in hotels before heading home with great tales of the warm reception in the Palmetto State's Capital.
Add to this the community involvement of an organization, who with the local Women's team, The Columbia Bombshells, have taken part in countless charity and community events. (We are the United Way's Tug-a-Plane Champions)

Despite our positive input, we have been left to train and prepare for our season on unfit surfaces, halves of baseball fields or at best begging and borrowing from schools.
We are not looking for a designated single-use space, we are not looking for some grand stadium, just a place where we can practice, play and (perchance) somewhere with a little light to help us play on as the nights draw in.

most faithfully yours,

The Columbia Olde Grey


( I know we have something of a field, but i feel an appeal of this nature is in order. Not only may it help our cause, but things like this do garner attention and may help raise our profile and some eyebrows of those who make decisions.)

(P.s. I will have something a lot more fun in the next couple of hours)