September 28, 2011
Field Named for Brad Akins
When Joshua Fields got the first hit on the new Wolverine baseball field–a home run, no less–Prince Avenue Christian School officially opened its new campus in Bogart. Long before the first structural beam was erected for the new educational building on the 40-acre property that Prince Avenue Baptist Church purchased for its new school and church campus, the state-of-the-art Wolverine athletic fields and infrastructure were built and ready for competition.
Prince Avenue supporter Brad Akins’ vision for the athletic fields helped jump-start the capital campaign program that led to the eventual construction of the educational facilities, and helped bring numerous families to the campus. And for his vision, support, and leadership in establishing these Wolverine athletic facilities, Prince Avenue has renamed the football stadium “Brad Akins Field.”
“Brad Akins life exemplifies the message of Matthew 6:19-21–to store up treasures for heaven, not earth,” says Athletic Director Richard Ricketts. “When one gives sacrificially to others, God uses it to bring back blessings. Literally thousands of people in our community have been impacted by his generosity,” Ricketts says. Akins and his wife Julie are the parents of three Prince Avenue alumni and students–all young ladies who never personally benefitted from the use of the fields, though the youngest, Madison cheers from the sidelines for the Wolverine football team. “It is with a great sense of gratitude that we dedicate the football field to Brad Akins,” says Ricketts. “Each of us should strive to follow not the man, but rather the selfless giving to others.”
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