Even in Vegas, Richard Gouraige gravitates toward community service
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You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who would say spending time at a local charity was their favorite part about visiting Las Vegas.
One of those people is Florida left tackle Richard Gouragie, who spent five days in Sin City for the matchup against Oregon State.
He arrived last Tuesday with his team and saw several of the tourist attractions throughout the week, such as Fremont Street and the Las Vegas Strip.
However, the highlight of his stay was the bowl charity event on Wednesday morning.
“Going to Opportunity Village and giving back to the kids, that was the best part of my trip,” Gouraige told Gators Online.
Founded in 1954, Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people in the Southern Nevada community with intellectual disabilities, to enhance their lives and the lives of the families who love them. Opportunity Village is dedicated to helping people with severe intellectual and related disabilities become the very best they can be.
Through vocational training, community employment, day services, advocacy, arts and social recreation, citizens with severe disabilities are able to find new friends, realize future career paths, seek independence and community integration and unleash creative passions.
Gouraige visited the facility with six of his teammates and they asked him to speak at the charity event.
“Just sharing words of encouragement to those kids, really. Letting them know there’s always hope,” Gouraige said. “It’s definitely a blessing I had the moment. My team voted me to share my words of wisdom with them.”
Gouraige’s passion for community service has been evident on his social media this year. Back in July, he began volunteering at the Bread of The Mighty Food Bank in Gainesville.
He also went to St. Francis House on Sept. 20 and returned to the food bank in October and November.
“I can use my platform at a different level and help kids,” Gouraige said, “so that’s been a big step forward for me.”
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In other Florida football news
- Left tackle Richard Gouraige is turning pro after making 40-plus starts with the Gators.
- Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is still weighing the 2023 NFL Draft or returning to Florida.
- Florida has emerged as a ‘serious contender’ for quarterback transfer Grayson McCall.
- UF faces an uphill slog back to SEC relevancy, but Napier can’t afford a slow-burn rebuild.
UF recruiting roundup
- The latest Gators recruiting notes less than 24 hours out from the Early Signing Period.
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