To everyone involved in Okarche High School athletics, Center of Family Love resident David Inge has become a local legend.

David has been riding his bike to all of the high school sporting events for more than 30 years in order to cheer on every team and is beloved by Okarche athletes and fans alike.

Because of his dedication to the teams, Okarche students chose to honor their biggest fan, David, during their charity week, A Week of Love (AWOL), last month.

“A week of fundraising was started quite a few years back and it has really been a great thing for our students to learn the value of helping others,” said Okarche High School Student Council Advisor Tasha Reherman.

“In recent years, we started picking someone or something in our own community to share our love with and it has really been amazing to watch our kids help those they spend time with on a regular basis. Everyone had such a fun-filled week celebrating David and the Center of Family Love.”

Proceeds from Week of Love will benefit David and his friends who live with intellectual and physical disabilities and receive lifetime care at the Center of Family Love.

David says he is so proud of the students who supported him throughout the charity week and plans to continue attending sporting events to support his favorite teams.

“I’m so happy and excited that the students chose me,” David said. “They are all very nice, and I couldn’t believe they were able to raise so much to support me.”

Throughout various fundraisers over the course of the week, the students collected $3,903.91 on David’s behalf for the Center of Family Love. Students also participated in dressup days that corresponded with David’s favorite activities such as watching western movies and cheering on Okarche teams.

Students, faculty and staff made sure to include David in every AWOL activity and even presented him with a custom Warriors jersey during the basketball games at the end of the week.

“We are so grateful to know that our community loves David and all of our residents just as much as we do,” said Center of Family Love President and CEO Debbie Espinosa. “David has been cheering for the Warriors for years and it means the world to him to know just how much he is truly loved.”