B.J. Ketchem, a Butler native, held a shot put and discus clinic Sunday in Virginia to raise money for flood victims in Butler. From left are Samella Koroma, B.J. Ketchem, Jerry Witzman, Chris Johnson, Calvin Hicks, Heather McKenzie, Travis Haddock, Bonnie Hicks, Tracy Stevenson, Susan Ross-Batman and Rodney Johnson.

B.J. Ketchem is proud of being from Butler.

He grew up on the west side of the city, and even though he now lives in Virginia, his family still resides in the city.

So, when Ketchem heard about the flooding on the West Side in early July, he felt compelled to contribute in any way he could.

“It's something that just hit me, because I love being where I'm from,” he said. “I'm proud of it, and I don't like to see people suffer.”

Ketchem, who threw shot put at Butler High School and is a Highland Games athlete, held a clinic in Virginia for shot put and discus throwers Sunday, with proceeds from the event going toward flood relief.

He also sold T-shirts from his company, Forged Athletics. The total proceeds from the event and T-shirt sales were $575, which he'll present by check to the United Way of Butler County on Friday.

Ketchem's sister had a storage unit on the west side of Butler, and its contents were destroyed in the flood.

“My heart automatically just went out to everybody back there who has lost something,” he said. “And everybody lost something different. It's just a lot of lost, tangible memories that were in storage. And then, you've got people who lost their homes.”

He also was spurred to help because he once attended the now-closed Broad Street Elementary School.

“The Island is something that being there is something I'm proud of,” Ketchem said, referencing a neighborhood on the southwest side of Butler. “Being a student who went to Broad Street Elementary School, we always had a little bit of a chip on our shoulder, because everybody kind of looked at us different.”

Ketchem learned to give back from mentors of his youth, including former city councilman Rick Schontz.

He was coached in track and field by Schontz, and cites him as a major influence in his life.

“He helped me whenever I was in a pivotal time in my life to just kind of get my act together, and start taking school serious,” Ketchem said. “He taught me, along with my mom and dad, about just being committed to people, helping people when they see an opportunity, (and to) just pay it forward.”

Ketchem, who is an assistant principal at an elementary school in Alexandria, Va., hopes the money will help provide whatever is needed, including electrical appliances, food or clothes.

“I know it's not a ton of money,” he said. “I see this as, whatever dent we can put into the damage, so (people can) start getting back to a better way of life, a normal way of life.”