By Stan Welch
Since winning the national college football championship last week, the Clemson Tigers have been getting a lot of love. One expression of that love, from West Pelzer Mayor and proud Clemson alumni Blake Sanders, has taken an unexpected turn.
Sanders, in a light hearted expression of his pride in the Tigers, jokingly announced his intentions of painting orange Tiger paw prints down his town’s main drag. Sadly, but not surprisingly, the idea was met with something less than rampant enthusiasm. So Mayor Sanders adapted, changing his plan to an open offer to put paw prints in the driveway of anyone who wanted one.
As this article is being written, he now has one hundred seventy seven requests. Those requests extend far beyond the West Pelzer town limits, and so far include four different counties.
“I’ve created a monster,” says Sanders, who nonetheless intends to honor every request. His offer has attracted media attention across the Upstate and as been mentioned in the Orange and White, an on campus publication. Sanders, whose promotion of his town borders on the relentless, says it all helps in putting West Pelzer on the map. “That wasn’t the motive behind this but it does help get the brand out there.”
The motive, according to Sanders, was to bring people together. “We live in such a divisive world, I just wanted to spread some love. If you’re a Gamecock fan, I’ll paint a Gamecock logo in your driveway.”
