Kids using their brains

Wednesday March 12, 2008
Piedmont Elementary Chess Club checks boredom at the door, mate
by Kelly L. Holleran
Daily Mail staff

Thomas McJunkin approached his mother, Mary Needles McJunkin-Gray, and her husband, Dr. David B. Gray, about a year ago with a request for money.

McJunkin, a local lawyer, didn’t need the money for himself, but a group of students at Piedmont Elementary did.

The 14 children are part of the school’s chess club and needed some money to pay for different events they were planning to participate in.

McJunkin, who reads aloud to fifth-grade students at the school, approached his mother with the idea to support the kids.

“He came to me and said, ‘Mom, wouldn’t you love to help out?'” McJunkin-Gray said.

It didn’t take much convincing. She quickly agreed.

“I’m happy to be a supporter,” she said. “Look at these children sitting here using their brains.”

McJunkin-Gray, who told the children to call her Grandmother Bear, has supported children’s teams like little league baseball, football, basketball and tennis for decades.

But this is the first time she has ever helped a chess team.

“She decided she wanted to support them because it helps with their cerebral knowledge,” McJunkin said.

Since McJunkin-Gray made that decision one year ago to help the club, she has paid for team T-shirts for each child, for all to become registered members of the United States Chess Federation and for all the children’s registration into the county chess tournament.
The kids are extremely grateful for all of her help, giving her a card they each signed.

Here is the full story.