Vappie returns and plans fundraiser

Mike Vappie has returned home, and he is looking to make a difference.
Vappie grew up in Franklin and played running back at Franklin High before continuing on in college and a brief stint in the now defunct United States Football League. Since then, he has spent much of his career in the sports marketing arena.
But after years away, he decided it was time to come home.
“I’ve always wanted to come home, always knew one day I would come home, always had a heart for home,” said Vappie, who returned to the area in November.
Now, he wants to help the area with the Great Gumbo Celebrity Golf Classic, which he said will be a nonprofit. The event will be held this year on Oct. 9 at The Atchafalaya at Idlewild near Patterson and feature ex-sports figures. The idea is to use proceeds to benefit charities in St. Mary Parish to help children with education.
“I’m not going to just tie one charity to it,” Vappie said. “I’m going to try to sprinkle it around when we do that event.”
Years ago, Vappie got his business career started in an unusual way as he was a member of the Birmingham Stallions in the United States Football League, but his career was quickly derailed by injury.
While the league only lasted two years, he worked for the organization.
Vappie later worked in sports marketing where he said he has worked with many athletes through the years starting their foundations and doing fundraisers for them.
“I lived and worked in Orlando for many years,” he said.
Vappie has had one book published, “The ABC’s of Spiritual Growth,” and he is writing a second book now.
He also is part of a team that is producing a documentary on the untold story of African Americans’ contributions to the Kentucky Derby. The 15-part series is called “We Run the Money.” It will be streamed on TV, according to the project’s website, www.werunthemoney.com.
He said through research, it’s been discovered that the derby was started by ex-slaves.
“Those (ex) black slave jockeys were the first superstar athletes in America,” Vappie said.
A four-part documentary series, called “The Ghosts of Kentucky,” also is being produced.