WATCH: National Champion Coach Ed Orgeron Guest Speaker at 321Empowerment Series

321Empowerment Series Set April 26 at Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne

WATCH: The Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson recently talked with members of the nonprofit 321Empowerment, Inc., Ray Herring II, Hurlie Brown, and Connell Spain. Also joining the conversation was National Championship Coach Ed Orgeron, who will be the guest speaker at their inaugural event, which will be held on Saturday, April 26, at the Eastern Florida State College Melbourne Campus.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA—321Empowerment, Inc., remember the name? It is a nonprofit organization created by Executive Director Ray Herring II in partnership with Executive Director Hurlie Brown.

If the names sound familiar, it is because they are two of the best athletes to ever come out of Brevard County.

I recently had the opportunity to talk with Herring, Brown, 321Empowerment Board of Directors member Connell Spain, and National Champion Coach Ed Orgeron, the 2019 National Coach of the Year.

Coach ‘O’ led the LSU Tigers to the National Championship in 2019 with the help of Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow and Biletnikoff Award winner Ja’Marr Chase, the nation’s best receiver.

The inaugural 321Empowerment seminar will focus on Career Planning and will be held on Saturday, April 26, at the Eastern Florida State College Melbourne Campus.

Orgeron, who will be the Guest Speaker, told me that, among other things, he wanted to emphasize “one team, one heartbeat.” He continued, “I will talk to them about that and what success brings.”

Herring beams when he talks about 321Empowerment, what it is designed to do, and its potential. This has been his dream for quite some time.

He has put together what he calls “an awesome Board.” And of that, there is no doubt. He wanted to emphasize that although, initially, this will be a program for males only, he envisions females eventually being a part of 321Empowerment.

Herring is convinced the program will help young people “build critical life skills, pursue their passions, and grow into active contributing members of their community.”

I asked Brown what he thought young people are looking for these days. He told me, “Guidance, exposure, wisdom, knowledge.” He then gave me multiple examples of how older people helped set him on the right path at a young age.

If you have lived in Brevard County for a while, you know Connell Spain. He was an all-star football player at Melbourne High School, went on to Florida State University, and was part of the 1993 Seminoles National Championship team.

Spain is a successful business owner and an actor. I asked him what drew him to participate in 321Empowerment. He told me, “When Ray and Hurlie called me about it, I immediately told them I’m in.” All it took was for them to mention “kids and giving back,” and he was sold.

321Empowerment is going to be successful. They have a solid business plan, they are doing this for the right reasons, they have the right people on board, and with this particular group leading the way, the sky is the limit!

For additional information on 321Empowerment, CLICK HERE.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 25 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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