Forty members of Islip Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society held a charitable car wash last month, ending their day of hard work with a fun water fight.
The event’s proceeds will be utilized throughout the 2015-2016 school year to various local community and family-oriented efforts, including holiday meals and gift card and toy donations.

Photo Caption: Forty members of Islip Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society held a charitable car wash last month, ending their day of hard work with a fun water fight.

Photo by Islip School District

WINSTON-SALEM, NC – The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics will kick off the 2015-16 year with WSSU Rams Community Service Month, with its first event on Thursday, June 4th.

The WSSU Department of Athletics is coming off of its most successful community service year ever, where as a department, the Rams logged 3,461 hours of community service.

“Community Outreach is a focal point within the athletic department’s strategic initiatives”, says director of Athletics, Tonia Walker. “We have committed to our student-athletes and staff to a lofty goal of dedicating at least 3000 community service hours annually to the Winston-Salem Community at large”, Walker added. “We surpassed that number this past year, so we know it’s an attainable goal.”

“We simply want to make a difference in our community! I truly believe that volunteerism plays an important factor in fulfilling our responsibility to transform our student-athletes into productive citizens”, says Walker.

The WSSU Athletic Department will visit and spend the day at the Bethesda Center for the Homeless on Thursday, June 4th, to kick off their community service month.

June 2015 – Community Service Month

June 4 – Bethesda Center for the Homeless

June 11 – Mineral Springs Elementary

June 25 – Habitat for Humanity-Moravian Build In Memory of Dr. Cedric Rodney

June 28 – Greater Cleveland Avenue Christian Church

To learn more please visit: http://www.wssurams.com/

A six-man team from Deer Park High School – students Calo Arena, Trevor Bernard, Jack Dillon, Phil Herbst and Nick Olsen, accompanied by the school’s band director, Jerry Cannarozzo – traveled to Vermont’s Mount Snow on June 7 to participate in the Tough Mudder obstacle course race. A team-oriented, 10-mile race, Tough Mudder is designed to test physical strength and mental grit. Through competing, Deer Park’s Falcons team raised several hundred dollars for the Wounded Warrior Project, a charity that helps combat veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan.

160322: (From left) Deer Park High School Falcons team members Jerry Cannarozzo, Trevor Bernard, Nick Olsen, Calo Arena, Phil Herbst and Jack Dillon raised money for the Wounded Warrior Project by competing in Vermont’s Tough Mudder obstacle course race.

Photo by Deer Park School District

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri student-athletes, coaches, and staff logged a record 4,100 community service hours during the 2014-15 academic year. Five teams averaged at least 15 community service hours per student-athlete.

“I want to thank all of our student-athletes and coaches for taking time out of their busy schedules to volunteer their valuable time,” said Assistant Director of Athletics for Compliance Rachel Blunt. “We know a couple hours here and there is quite valuable to a student-athlete juggling class work, games, practices, and jobs so that’s what makes this mark of 4,100 hours special. Their commitment to our university and to Cape Girardeau speaks volumes to leaders on campus and members in our community.”

Each student-athlete is asked to give at least 10 community service hours a year. The 10-hour requirement was set by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) prior to the 2013-14 academic year. SAAC’s community service goal for this past year was set at 3,500 hours, which was the total from 2013-14.

Blunt added, “SAAC put the 10-hour requirement into play and we more than surpassed that this year. That comes from our SAAC representatives speaking with their teammates and coaches about volunteer opportunities and making sure the student-athlete community stays involved.”

The five teams that averaged at least 15 hours per student-athlete were baseball, women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

The year began with about 150 student-athletes lending a helping hand during move-in day in August and wrapped up in June when 50 student-athletes served at the Summer Arts Festival. Events in between included the Canned Food Drive at Wehrenberg Theaters, Feed My Starving Children, Southeast Serves events, Read to Succeed, various SAAC events including Halloween at Houck and Rowdy’s Winter Wonderland, and outreach to local elementary schools.

HAMMOND, Ind. – More than 40 student-athletes, five sports, and several staff members took part in a major Purdue University Calumet Athletics volunteer effort with Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago’s Move for the Kids 5K Walk/Run on May 17.

The event capped another fantastic year of community service for the Purdue University Calumet Athletic department, which saw its student-athletes earn over 1,000 hours of community service and participate in more than 20 different causes for the 2014-15 academic year.

For the Move for the Kids 5K, Peregrine student-athletes and staff from the women’s basketball, volleyball, women’s soccer and men’s and women’s cross country teams served as race volunteers for the event, which kicked off its 11th year in downtown Chicago. In 11 years, the race has drawn more than 20,000 participants and raised over $2.8 million to support the hospital’s areas of greatest needs, including a new state-of-the-art hospital, the recruitment of top doctors, research advances, and transitional care for patients.

“Being a part of the Move for the Kids 5K was an unforgettable experience for both our staff and student-athletes,” said Stephanie Beck, Purdue Calumet head men’s and women’s cross country coach and volunteer project organizer. “The student-athletes really enjoyed helping make such a great event run smoothly and as a staff, we were proud to help with a great cause – helping kids.”

This year’s race, held just outside the gates of Soldier Field, raised over $300,000 and featured nearly 3,000 participants.

Purdue Calumet volunteers took on duties such as assisting with registration, gear-check, photo station, Kohl’s Safety Corner, general setup, and served as course marshals.

“It was fun to help such a great cause and cheer on everyone as they finished, especially all of the young kids that were running,” junior cross country runner Justin Peterson said of volunteering at the event. “It was really cool to see that many kids running – I’ve never seen that before at a race.”

The help was greatly appreciated by Lurie Children’s Foundation Development Coordinator, Becky Jarosch, who was impressed with the student-athletes’ willingness to help.

“From setting up tables to staking the Heroes Garden signs, from directing people on the course to handing out pizza, they made such a positive impact on the event and we are so grateful,” Jarosch said.

The Lurie Children’s Move for the Kids 5K Walk and Run is still accepting donations, while the 2016 race date has yet to be announced. Donations can be made by going to the Move for the Kids homepage and clicking the ‘donate & support’ button.

The Move for the Kids Run was just one of many community service projects that saw Peregrine student-athletes participate in 2014-15. Below are a few highlights from the rest of the year:

Greater Hammond Food Depository
Back in December, more than 40 baseball and softball players helped sort food and organize the facility, which provides free food to people and families in need in the greater Hammond area.

R-Dub Club with local Hammond Elementary Schools
Throughout the Spring, 86 Peregrine student-athletes donated their time to making new friends and encouraging local elementary students to read with four visits to each school. Purdue Calumet student-athletes talked about their experiences as athletes, answered questions, and read books with the students.

Hammond Holiday Parade
The Peregrines came out 130 strong to walk in the annual Hammond Holiday Parade in December, displaying Purdue Calumet’s commitment to the its surrounding community in a fun-filled, family-friendly event.

Kids Day X2
More than 44 student-athletes helped make the Purdue Calumet men’s and women’s basketball teams’ “Kids Days” extra special events by painting faces, helping supervise bouncy houses and coloring tables, handing out t-shirts, or assisting with halftime games and activities. The Peregrines hosted a “Kids Day” during hoops doubleheaders in December and February.

Additional Service Projects:

Recess Buddies
Girl Scouts Day
Tying Purple Ribbons
Central Midwest College Fair
Late Night Madness Promotion
Fall Open House Volunteers
Fall Frolic Race Volunteers
METAS Student Panel
Alumni Game Volunteers
Men’s Basketball Team Gives Blood
5K Run Assistance
Dorm Assistance (moving)

To learn more about the growing Purdue Calumet athletic department, check out www.purduecalsports.com or follow #PeregrineNation on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram @PurdueCalSports