Members of West Islip High School’s Students with HEARTT community group were invited to attend a Ducks baseball game this past summer to represent the school for the Ride for Life organization.
Students in HEARTT, guided by teacher Virginia Scudder, have been annually walking and participating in educating and informing the public about Ride for Life’s work to raise funds and awareness for the disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS.
The group’s fundraising and community education work, as well as its commitment to Ride for Life, will continue this fall with a special assembly to honor the 20th anniversary of the founding of Ride for Life by Chris Pendergast.
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IMG_6625, IMG_6634: Members of West Islip High School’s Students with HEARTT community group were invited to attend a Ducks baseball game this past summer to represent the school for the Ride for Life organization.

Photos courtesy of the West Islip School District

The Hauppauge Varsity Football team’s season opener helped bring awareness and raise funds for “Rock the Socks.” The charity was formed in February 2016 by Hauppauge resident and former student-athlete Nick Cadmus – whose daughter Makenzie was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) – a rare, incurable disease where skin can blister, erode or slough off from relatively minor injuries or any type of friction.

“Rock the Socks was born in the second or third week of Makenzie’s life when we re-bandage her three to four times daily. Makenzie initially “threw” her bandages frequently, causing a vicious cycle of pain management drugs, feeding and bandaging,” described Cadmus. One of her fantastic nurses from the Morgan StanleyChildren’s Hospital, suggested using socks as a retention bandage to help keep her bandages in place. The socks also provided a soft outer layer in case Makenzie hit herself.” The socks eventually captured the eyes of many and prompted the family to say: “rock those socks, girl” – the seed that grew into the Rock the Socks campaign.

The Hauppauge Varsity Football Team and their fans were proud to display the new Royal Blue “Rock the Socks” they purchased in honor of Makenzie Cadmus and with the hope that one day a cure will be found for this disease.

Courtesy of Hauppauge School District.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Friday, Sept. 23, four UMKC student-athletes visited Belinder Elementary School in Prairie Village, Kansas, to volunteer as part of the school’s Walk-A-Thon event hosted by the Belinder PTA.

Women’s basketball player Justice Collins (Springfield, Ill.), women’s soccer goalkeeper Anna Lillig (Kansas City, Mo.), and men’s soccer players Edmund Howe (St. Louis, Mo.) and Bronson Watts (Camden, N.C.) took time out of their Friday afternoon to visit the elementary school. The student-athletes spoke in front of over 400 elementary students and their parents about how they became involved in sports and the importance of staying active.

“I think it is important for young kids to see exercise as something fun,” Lillig said. “Even when I was little I didn’t have plans to become a college athlete, I just played every sport I could because it was so much fun.”

The UMKC student-athletes also walked with the students during their event and cheered them on, and even signed some autographs for the students.

“It’s always great to help out with the community, especially when it is benefitting someone directly” Howe said. “The Walk-A-Thon is a great event and having UMKC student-athletes be a part of it was very rewarding.”

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http://www.umkckangaroos.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=211191526&DB_OEM_ID=18300

St. Thomas of Villanova was known for his great charity to the poor and marginalized; a great sentiment that many young Wildcats took to heart as they celebrated the university’s patron saint and his legacy with a day of service and volunteering around the city of Philadelphia.

18 different teams including over 5,000 alumni, students, and faculty joined together on September 24, 2016 to give back to Greater Philadelphia on the 11th Annual St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service Celebration.

Allison Venella, Director of Student Athlete Development helped organize this special day for Villanova student-athletes. “I am so proud of our student-athletes, coaches and staff for rolling up their sleeves and serving in so many ways during the 11th annual Day of Service. Throughout the weekend our volunteers made 5,000 volunteer sandwiches, packaged 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now, wrote donation letters for Joy of Soxx, painted, cleaned, organized, dug, raked, picked-up trash and more between Villanova and Philadelphia and beyond at one of the 145 Service Sites. Their display of enthusiasm and spirit was infectious as they spent their Saturday in our local community helping those in need.”

This was an annual day for Emmanuel “Manny” Morris, former student-athlete at Villanova University who also participated in the Day of Service, now as an alum. Morris was a member of the baseball team. In the past years, the baseball team just did work on their field at Plymouth Meeting, but this year, was the first year the team actually went out to a specific place in the community. “It felt good to finally have the opportunity to go out in the community to fully participate in Day of Service with the team. As a student-athlete I feel like we all have a responsibility to donate our time and talents to others in need. Personally I love giving back and taking time to help others around me. Even though the day can be long, it is still a fun one spent with your teammates and allows us to reflect on how blessed we are with the opportunity we are giving to play college athletics at a great academic institution. Once a Wildcat, Always a Wildcat. #AlwaysReppin’” said Morris.

Athletic Director Mark Jackson participated in his first day of service this year. “The St. Thomas of Villanova Day of Service and so much of what Villanova represents is symbolic of community. This event is unlike any other that I’ve been around. It draws every corner of campus together in a very powerful way to help so many.”

Among the participation from Villanova student-athletes, together they served 1,338 hours of community service.

This 11th annual event builds upon the great service performed throughout the year by the Villanova community and exists as a unique way to put its Augustinian ideals into action.

Below is a list of Villanova’s teams who took part in this special day.

Villanova Teams Service Site: Service Site Name

VU Women’s Soccer Stop Hunger Now

VU Field Hockey Joy of Soxx

VU Men’s Basketball Stop Hunger Now

VU Men’s Cross Country Stop Hunger Now

VU Volleyball Joy of Soxx

VU Cheerleading City Teams International/Hopes Café

VU Women’s Basketball Bache Martin Elementary School

VU Baseball Centro San Jose /St. Alice Rectory & Church

VU Softball Day of Service prep work

VU Men’s Lacrosse Lamberton Elementary School

VU Women’s Cross Country Providence Animal Shelter

VU Women’s Water Polo St. David’s Church

VU Women’s Rowing St. Madeline Parish, Ridley Park

VU Track and Field The Farm at Bartram’s Garden

VU Swimming & Diving Neighborhood Watch at 5500 West Thompson Street in Philadelphia

The above teams did volunteer work ranging from rolling up their sleeves and making 5,000 volunteer sandwiches, packaging 10,000 meals for Stop Hunger Now, wrote donation letters for Joy of Soxx, painted, cleaned, organized, dug, raked, picked-up trash and more between Villanova and Philadelphia and beyond at one of the 145 Service Sites.

http://www.villanova.com/sports/student-services/spec-rel/092916aaa.html

The William Floyd Alumni Association (WFAA) has once again welcomed the district’s youngest students by assembling and donating packets of school supplies for approximately 640 incoming kindergarten students and future members of the Class of 2029. WFAA members, district officials and members of the varsity cheerleading team and the Rockettes recently gathered to assemble packets for each student, as well as supplies for each kindergarten classroom in the district’s five elementary schools – John S. Hobart Elementary, Moriches Elementary, Nathaniel Woodhull Elementary, Tangier Smith Elementary and William Floyd Elementary. Individual student packets consisted of colored pencils, a notebook and folders; classroom packets included crayons, pencils and glue.

“We are pleased that we are able to welcome our newest and youngest students by providing them with these welcome packets,” said Jackie Eglevsky, President, William Floyd Alumni Association. “We wish them nothing but happiness and success in their William Floyd journey and look forward to hearing the great things that they can and will accomplish.”

The William Floyd Alumni Association, a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization, exists to promote the education of students of the William Floyd School District, provide a conduit through which alumni may direct charitable activities in support of their school community and its students, providing charitable relief to those within the district who may be in need, recognize outstanding accomplishments through scholarships, celebrate achievements and honor those who have made tremendous contributions to the district through the annual Outstanding Educators Award, Athletic Hall of Fame and Distinguished Alumni Award, as well as to build and foster a renewed camaraderie between and among William Floyd alumni and the community.

courtesy of : http://www.wfsd.k12.ny.us/