East Bladen High School graduate Larrell Murchison talks to participants during his annual Community Day held Saturday at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Sonny Jones / The Bladen Journal
Larrell Murchison encourages a participant during a football agility drill at Saturday’s Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Larrell Murchison talks to participants in his annual Community Day on Saturday at Elizabethtown Middle School as Teair Tart, left, of the Los Angeles Chargers and D.J. Wonnum, right, of the Carolina Panthers look on.
kenarmphoto.com" srcset="https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/131640981_web1_Larrell_Fun_Day_13.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;">
Larrell Murchison, an East Bladen High School graduate now playing in the NFL, signs autographs during Saturday’s Community Day.
Kenneth Armstrong / kenarmphoto.com
kenarmphoto.com" srcset="https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/131640981_web1_Larrell_Fun_Day_14.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;">
Larrell Murchison poses for a picture with two young fans during Saturday’s Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Kenneth Armstrong / kenarmphoto.com
A player goes through a ball carrying drill during Saturday’s Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
The water slide was a popular attraction on a hot Saturday afternoon during Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
The water slide was a popular attraction on a hot Saturday afternoon during Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Cadets from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy present the colors at the opening of Saturday’s Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Some of the crowd during Larrell Murchison’s Community Day held Saturday at Elizabethtown Middle School.
Football instruction was offered to all ages at Saturday’s Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School.
A Community Day participant works on making a spin move to elude a defensive player Saturday at Elizabethtown Middle School.
kenarmphoto.com" srcset="https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/131640981_web1_Larrell_Fun_Day_11.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;">
Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman Larrell Murchison posed for pictures during Saturday’s Community Day.
Kenneth Armstrong / kenarmphoto.com
kenarmphoto.com" srcset="https://www.bladenjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/131640981_web1_Larrell_Fun_Day_12.jpg" sizes="(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2) 1280px, (min-resolution: 192dpi) 1280px, 640px" class="entry-thumb td-animation-stack-type0-3" style="width: 100%;">
Larrell Murchison, an East Bladen High School graduate now playing in the NFL, signs autographs during Saturday’s Community Day.
Kenneth Armstrong / kenarmphoto.com
ELIZABETHTOWN — Football instruction from professional players, water slides on a hot Saturday afternoon, uplifting music along with ice cream, lemonade and plenty of other goodies.
Larrell Murchison’s fifth annual Community Day at Elizabethtown Middle School was, well, just plain fun in spite of temperatures reaching into the 90s..
“We’re teaching them the ins and outs of football and how we can help them as they get older and as they want to play and continue to play and want to make a profession of it,” said Murchison, who graduated from East Bladen High School in 2016, played at N.C. State and now is a defensive lineman for the National Football League’s Los Angeles Rams.
Murchison was joined by Teair Tart of the Los Angeles Chargers and Carolina Panthers linebacker D.J. Wonnum in leading the football drills that culminated with games.
“When I was younger I would have loved for somebody to come and do it,” Murchison said. “Anytime I get an opportunity to put a smile on a kid’s face and motivate them, I’m there for it. That’s what God’s got me on Earth for and that’s my purpose.”
Cadets from Paul R. Brown Leadership Academy presented the colors and the Star Spangled Banner was played to begin the event. Albert “Boogie” Lewis provided music. There also was a car show.
Murchison said he plans to continue Community Fun Day every year that he can as he strives to give back to Bladen County.
“I want to continue to do more,” Murchison said. “We have Fun Day, but I want to do more to help out the kids even more. It’s very important that I do something to up the kids’ spirits.”
It wasn’t all about Community Day and football while Murchison was back in town before reporting to the Rams’ training camp July 22. He filmed two episodes of his “Munching with Murch” food series.
“We just did Melvin’s and Cain’s yesterday,” Murchison said. “Two of my favorite burger spots in the land.”
Murchison said the episodes would be dropping soon.
Sonny Jones can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @FOSonnyJones.