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Growing the seeds

By Michael Butler

LD Bell has been a significant part of a local outreach called Star Seeds. His voluteerism was recognized with the 2020 President's Award by the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce.

"Star Seeds started with me, Rodney Parker and Tevin Brown," Bell said. "We're trying to grow young men. We're trying to get involved with young girls too. We're trying to teach them the ropes of life. We start with the high school. We try to teach the high school kids to teach the middle school kids and try to teach the middle school kids to teach the elementary kids."

Now the Seeds are offering something new for area youth - an after-school program.

"Kids can come get tutoring and extra help after school," said Bell. "Patrick Anthony at the barber shop downtown has let us use the bottom of his shop. It's a room that we're opening Spring Break week for all kids."

Bell stays busy not only with Star Seeds but also serves as a coach and instructor with the Tallassee School System. He is an In-School Suspension supervisor.

Coaches Bell and William Cahill in the dugout for Tallassee junior varsity baseball.
Photo by Kyle Thornton

"I love ISS," he said. "I don't love to see the kids in there, but I do love that the school gave me an opportunity to come in and help. I want to do my part. I'm not there just for sports but to help kids all across the board.

"I was an ISS kid. I was one of the kids coming in week after week for mostly silly things. I want to teach them that you don't have to be that kid. I thought I had to be that kid to get attention. I thought I had to be that kid for people to like me. I want kids to realize that there's nothing wrong with being yourself. People will accept you more. There's nothing wrong with being on the good side."

Bell's positive energy is contagious whether in a classroom or in a sports setting.

"If it's negative I'm not involved. If it's positive I want to be involved. Once you get that mindset, positive energy is real."

Bell has been involved in the sports arena on all levels, from recreation leagues to school ball. He is an assistant coach in football, basketball and baseball at Tallassee.

"Sports is my lane of what I like to do. We offer more than sports though. My wife does tutoring. She tries to help kids with grades any way she can. We've taken kids to visit colleges that wasn't sports related. We try to get kids ACT help. We try to help all around."

Star Seeds summer basketball program will be conducting tryouts on Saturday, March 20 at 9 a.m. in the Tallassee Recreation Center. It is open for fifth and sixth graders.

For more information on Star Seeds programs, contact Bell at 334-415-2316 or visit their Facebook page.