When Bless the Block returns for its second year of festivities this Friday, organizers will welcome a new “Greatest of All Time” — or G.O.A.T. — to their studded group of local greats. Gavin Wimsatt, a rising senior at Owensboro High School, will join the G.O.A.T. Float as the rising star of the generation, event host Justin Kline said.
Wimsatt is the quarterback for the OHS Red Devils, is involved throughout the community, is one of the top-rated QBs in the nation, and is currently committed to play at Rutgers University in New Jersey after high school.
Kline said Wimsatt has taken off this year and grown into the “crown jewel of the recruit class.”
The invite to join the G.O.A.T.s came to Wimsatt by way of his mother, and he was excited the moment his mom told him — so excited he had to change his schedule.
“I actually had a visit to Rutgers the same day, but I told them I wanted to do Bless the Block instead,” Wimsatt said.
Along with his regime on the football field, Kline said he and his wife invited Wimsatt to join the others because of his contributions to the community and the inspiration he is to the members of Mechanicsville and Baptist Town.
Kline said several people know of Wimsatt and that his reputation precedes him, and it’s one of positive nature. Wimsatt said the support and reputation he has in the city is something for which he is thankful.
“It really feels great just to know that going forward — to Rutgers, my high school season — the whole community is behind me and they’ve got my back so I’m not alone,” Wimsatt said.
Wimsatt just finished up a brief trip to the Elite 11 football camp in Los Angeles, where he was able to train with quarterback coaches from across the country. It was an experience he said that taught him not only about the sport but also about himself and life.
“I can develop really, really good, and definitely when I get older and I’m able to give back to my community even more, I’ll definitely do Bless the Block again in the future,” Wimsatt said.
Kline said that as part of the G.O.A.T. celebration, there is a poll made on the 5th Street Life Facebook page asking community members to vote for the greatest person on the float.
Other members of the G.O.A.T. Float include Julius Maddox, Travis Owsley and Chad Morris. Kline said these men are all contributing in positive ways within the community and setting a great example on all types of levels.
The winner of the poll will be giving a kiss to an actual goat. Along with that, Kline said they will be handing water balloons out to different people along the way to throw at the guys on the float.
The winner will be announced at the festivities on Fifth Street at 6 p.m. Friday.
