Burnet True Champions!!!

Posted on Thu, Dec. 19, 2002

Burnet helping player
By Damien Pierce
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

BURNET - Over the past year, the Burnet Rotary Club has played a card game.

A few dollars allow an individual to pull a card out of a couple of decks; once the Queen of Diamonds is selected, the lucky individual takes home the pot.

The game has lasted months and it probably could have gone on for a few more weeks if it wasn't for John Hoover.

"During our last meeting, he pulled out a $100 bill and said he wanted to buy the last 18 cards and get the queen," said Burnet principal Craig Spinn, who is a member of the Rotary Club. "We don't normally allow it, but he wanted to buy the cards for Corey Fulbright and his family. He gave away about $1,600."

Burnet, about 60 miles northwest of Austin, is the kind of town where everyone knows everyone else, but right now the community is coming together for a stranger.

Fulbright, a senior defensive back for the Everman football team, sustained a fracture to his fifth cervical vertebra in Saturday's Class 3A Division I state championship game against Burnet.

The Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio said the injury will leave Fulbright a quadriplegic. He is resting in the hospital with his family and is expected to be there through Christmas.

While Everman has been raising funds to help Fulbright's family with medical costs, Burnet has done its part as well.

The town is holding a candlelight vigil tonight in the town square and took out a full page ad in The Burnet Bulletin. The ad read, "One town, one-thousand prayers," in hopes of getting more than 1,000 people to attend the vigil in the town of 4,735.

Collections have been taking place at each Burnet school and two funds have been created at two banks.

As of Wednesday night, the account at First State Bank of Burnet had exceeded $8,000. The fund will be added to the account created at Fort Worth's Bank One.

"We had people contacting Monday morning before we even had a chance to get the account set up," First State Bank of Burnet president Cary Johnson said. "We even had an open house at our bank Wednesday and we stuck a jar out for Corey just to see if we could get a few more dollars for him. We got over $1,500 just this afternoon."

The school has had random visitors stop by and drop off checks up to $200. The Burnet football team has also collected money, and signed a football and cards for Fulbright.

The head coach plans to drop off the football this weekend in San Antonio.

"They haven't been upset about losing the state title," Burnet quarterbacks coach Jeff Merrket said. "Their initial emotion is to figure out how we can help this young man and his family. We just want to help any way we can and Corey is in our prayers."

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Damien Pierce, (817) 548-5442 dpierce@star-telegram.com

Thank you very much, your team,school system,community are Champions in my heart, To step up and help someone you don't even know speaks volumes about the kind of people living there.God Bless you all.

There are true angels living in Texas. Thank You everyone for helping in this time of need. May God bless you all and have a Merry Christmas. :) :) :) :)

Man, what a awesome display of humanity. I am so humbled every day by the generosity that has been given by the Burnet community as well as those arcross the state. These acts of kindness are what the true meaning of "CHRIST"mas is all about. Thanks to all who have reached deep in order to help Corey and his family in which looks to be a very expensive road ahead.

Thanks Again,
Everman Alum 1984