The Duncan Banner

Local News

July 16, 2010

An open door policy

David Laughlin The Duncan Banner

DUNCAN — Welcoming a stranger to your home can be a nerve-wracking experience. Well, usually. Three Duncan families did just that by offering three soccer instructors from England and Scotland into their home for the week.

Matthew Moorwood, Martin Houldsworth and Graeme Percy were all looking for a place to bunk during their stay in Duncan. Three families answered the call.

Shannon Truax said the decision to house Moorwood during the week-long camp wasn’t one that was in the pipes for weeks or even months. It was almost a spur of the moment thing. She said she had signed her children, Danica, 4, and Lucas, 9, up for the camp months ago. But about a week ago she received an e-mail asking for volunteers to house the coaches.

“I wasn’t nervous at all,” she said. “I talked to my husband about it and we decided to do it.”

To help matters, her oldest son, Ren, 16, was out of the house for the week to attend Falls Creek.

“We had an extra bed so we thought why not,” she said.

Finding activities that are appealing to everyone may be a chore, especially when people from different backgrounds and cultures come together. One of the solutions was right under their nose however.

The Truaxs took Moorwood to play soccer Monday evening at the Halliburton Recreational Park on Martin Luther King Blvd. She said a group gets together to play the beautiful game every Monday evening.

“My son shadowed Matt the entire game,” she said. “Even then he was being a coach and helping him out.”

One assurance Truax had on her side was the spontaneity of her children.

“My kids aren’t shy at all,” she said. “Even if I run out of things to say I know my kids will keep them talking and busy.”

Truax said her children have been so impressed with Moorwood that they are already looking for ways to keep in touch with him. “My 12 year-old is already trying to look them up on Facebook to stay in touch,” she said.

Misty Walters, is playing host for Graeme Percy, and has had a different experience but equally rewarding. Walters is busy with the Cub Scouts this week. She said when Percy arrived Sunday evening, he ate four plates of food. “They got lost and he was just starving,” she said.

Walters said she has packed two sandwiches a day for Percy’s lunch.

“He was pretty hard to understand at first, he has such a heavy accent,” she said. “We are just trying our best to make him feel welcome.”



— David Laughlin is a reporter for The Duncan Banner. He can be reached at 580-255-5354, Ext. 144, or via e-mail at david.laughlin@duncanbanner.com.

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