Westborough High School (WHS) student-athletes throughout the community participated in their third annual “Rangers Give Back” day of community service Aug. 24.

Former student Mia Natale first organized this student-driven event three years ago when she was a senior. There was such a positive response from the community and the student athletes that this event has evolved into an annual tradition, one that has made a significant impact for all involved.

“This initiative was brought about organically by the students. I am more than happy to support these athletes and their goal of giving back to the community. They realize how fortunate they are and this enables them to really show the community just how much they appreciate their support,” said Johanna DiCarlo, WHS athletic director.

Each of the fall athletic team participants, as well as the winter hockey team, were assigned a “team leader” as well as a location where their community service activity was taking place. All of the students met at WHS on the morning of the event at 9:30 a.m. to get their assignments as well as coordinating transportation to that location.

“This is a really fun way to give back to the community with your friends,” said Miriam Levesque, a rising sophomore and soccer player.

Each of the Westborough schools had a group of volunteers either mulching, raking, weeding and other yard work while others were working on bulletin boards, Booster Club mailings, and student handbooks literacy folders among other projects. Several students had lunch with residents at the Beaumont Rehabilitation and Skilled Nursing Center. Four town homeowners also had students do yard work. . Regardless of where each student was assigned, or their task at hand, the significance of the role they played in this day of “giving back” definitely made an impact.

Rosetta Moore, who lives on Ruggles Street, was very grateful for the help that she was receiving.

“My husband has not been well and maintaining this home is a challenge for us. Having the students here today is just wonderful. I couldn’t keep up this house without their help,” said Moore.
Mia Natale’s sister, Olivia, who will be a junior this year, is continuing her sister’s mission of service.

“I truly have a passion for community service and I was very inspired by what my sister was able to accomplish. I wanted to continue the legacy and have had great support by Ms. DiCarlo, the administration, Westborough Athletic Booster Association, , and the Westborough community,” she said.

Last year there were about 150 students participating, with at least that many this year.

“Olivia looked at this event last year as a sophomore and was able to rally an enormous amount of support from students. This event has consistency and a real purpose. The students rise to the occasion on their own. By no means is this pulling teeth,” said DiCarlo.

After their work was done, the students enjoyed an ice cream social. The student volunteers were also provided with t-shirts.

“Not only is this a wonderful opportunity for all of us to show our appreciation for the Westborough community but it is a great time to get the teams together. There is a lot of interaction and cooperation on this day which bonds the team members together,” Olivia said.

Source: http://communityadvocate.com/2015/09/03/rangers-give-back-with-day-of-community-service/

James Clemens and Bob Jones High schools might be rivals on the field, but Wednesday they united to give back to the community.

Both schools participate in “Unity Day” each year before their big match up the following Friday night. This year the teams visited young children hospitalized in Huntsville Hospital.

Student Athletes tell WAAY 31 they enjoy giving back to the community.

“Show people it’s not always about us, it’s not always about football,” Javan Henderson, a fullback for James Clemens said. “We show how we can be leaders on and off the field.”

Source: http://www.waaytv.com/appnews/rival-football-teams-unite-to-visit-children-in-huntsville-hospital/article_30aac0a4-51b4-11e5-934f-4fd026e3a458.html

Stony Brook, N.Y. – Head coach of the Stony Brook men’s soccer team, Ryan Anatol, is excited to announce the newest signing to the Seawolves soccer program in 12 year-old Frankie Anzaldi from Rocky Point, N.Y.

“It’s an exciting day for us as a soccer team and a university,” Anatol said. “We couldn’t be happier to have Frankie become a part of our soccer family.”

The Seawolves connected with Frankie’s family through Team Impact. The organization’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses by establishing and expanding vibrant team-based support networks. Frankie and his parents, Frank and Michele, will be on the sideline with the team for all nine Stony Brook home games this upcoming season and will accompany the team at practices and other team functions. The Seawolves are counting on Frankie’s leadership to fuel them to victories as they pursue an America East title.

Senior captain Martin Giordano (Weston, Fla.) presented Frankie with a Stony Brook soccer jersey. Anatol said he expects Frankie’s name to be announced with the starting lineup in the Seawolves season opener vs. Central Connecticut State at LaValle Stadium.

To learn more please visit: http://www.stonybrookathletics.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/082615aaa.html

As part of a longstanding tradition at The Hall, Seton Hall student-athletes and members of the athletics department turned out in full force to lend their assistance and help welcome the Class of 2019 on the university’s official “Move-In Day.”

One of the first service initiatives on the Helping Athletes Learn to be Leaders (H.A.L.L.) Program calendar for the new year, the effort serves to ease the transition process and provide a first-hand introduction to the familial atmosphere characteristic of Seton Hall – furthering a tradition that has long seen student-athletes and athletics representatives among the first to volunteer a helping hand.

“It’s crazy to think I’m heading into my senior year because I still remember what I felt like on my first move in day,” said Ryan Flannery of men’s cross country. “There is so much going on and you’re trying to get used to so many new things at once, it was definitely nice to see some friendly faces that are there to help. Now, it’s nice to be on the other side; coming out here with other student-athletes and doing what we can for our fellow Pirates.”

Flannery was just one of many Pirates from a variety of programs on hand on Thursday morning to perform that same service for those beginning their collegiate experience in the coming weeks, a gesture that helps to strengthen the bond between athletics and the university.

“It was great to see a number of our student-athletes helping the incoming freshmen move in,” said Director of Athletics Patrick Lyons. “One of the truly unique things about Seton Hall is how tight-knit our community is. Helping at Freshman Move-In is a great way to make the incoming class instantly feel that they are a part of our family here at The Hall.”

Source: http://www.shupirates.com/genrel/082715aae.html

And that’s a wrap! Summer is almost over, but that doesn’t mean the Gophers have been lying around. Quite the contrary, really. The student-athletes used their time without classes and competition to not only relax, but to give back to the community. The Gophers volunteered a lot over the past few months, and just finished their last community service of the summer last Wednesday.

MAGIC (Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community) was focused on providing a lot of volunteering opportunities to make a difference within the community this summer. The Gophers visited 58 various sites, including Feed My Starving Children, Target Field, elementary schools around the Twin Cities, and Camp Odayin. All of these events added up to 186.75 hours of volunteering.

One of the most active volunteers was Vanessa Johnston, a rower and intern for the Student-Athlete Development department.

“Volunteering is always great reminder of how fortunate I am in many aspects,” Johnston said. “It also makes me think beyond the University and it feels really great to give back to the community, for example when we helped build a playground at a Girls and Boys Club.”

The last event of the summer was a unique experience, where the athletes could see their volunteering effort in a finished product. The CarMax Foundation and KaBoom, a non-profit organization that helps communities build playgrounds for children, teamed up together to build a playground for Mt. Airy Boys and Girls Club. The rainy weather pushed everybody to work hard, and the playground was finished within six hours with the help of Vanessa Johnston (rowing), Ben Bravence (swimming), and more than 120 other volunteers from CarMax and Best Buy. The children came out to watch the last adjustments and thanked each individual who put their hand to work.

“Through our partnership with KaBOOM!, CarMax Associates are a hands-on part of our national focus on children’s healthy living as we transform the lives of children through play,” Terry Glass, CarMax regional vice president general manager, said. “It’s an honor to work closely with amazing partners such as the Gophers on this playground build.”

“Our student-athletes continue to impress me with the level of their engagement and it’s fun to see them making a difference in the community other than their athletic contributions,” Anissa Lightner, director of the Student-Athlete Development, said about student-athletes’ involvement in the community.

The Gophers will take a short break before they get back to volunteering action. They’ll warm up with a few community events the first week of school, before they kick off with one of the biggest events of the year, the annual HopeDay Festival.

Source: Aug. 30, 2015
Written by Tereza Brichacova, student MAGIC intern
http://www.gophersports.com/sports/student-affairs/spec-rel/083015aac.html