Waverly Park Elementary School students, staff and family members teamed up for a Walk-a-Thon fundraiser that benefitted several causes.

The students garnered support prior to the event and, thanks to generous contributions from their families and friends, raised more than $2,000, a record amount for the annual initiative.

The Walk-a-Thon kicked off with a school-wide assembly, during which students presented checks to representatives from March of Dimes, the American Cancer Society, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation. These guests addressed the young audience and described their organizations’ missions as they graciously accepted the donations. Lynbrook High School sophomore Hannah Burton discussed her experience with type 1 diabetes, for which the JDRF hopes to find a cure. Pam Gerstman informed students that the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation makes safe summer day camps possible for children with special needs. Melinda Raymer summarized the March of Dimes’ efforts to ensure that babies are born healthy, and Relay for Life coordinator Adam Glickman provided insight about helping the ACS in its fight against cancer.

Waverly Park presented each organization with a $500 check, and additionally donated $150 to the East Rockaway Grist Mill Museum for hosting students during educational visits each year. First- through fifth-graders gained an understanding of the work that these groups do to change and improve the lives of others, and the valuable role that they can play through service to the community and world at large.

1: Waverly Park students present a $500 check to Melinda Raymar for March of Dimes.

3: Shari Bowes and students prepare to set out for the walk-a-thon.

4: Waverly Park’s walk-a-thon participants exited the gymnasium doors and walked through a path lined with decorative bags that represented the causes for which they raised funds.

Photos Courtesy of Lynbrook Public SchoolsWaverly Park Makes Strides to Make a Difference

A spirited volleyball competition, hosted by James Wilson Young Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society, helped to generate financial support for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, a public non-profit dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome, and the school organization’s upcoming initiatives.

As a result of the effort, the school raised approximately $1,200, and 75 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the foundation with the remaining portion used to support the NJHS. The winning teams were The Phantoms (grade 6), The Elite (grade 7) and Mist of Destruction (grade 8), who were crowned the overall champions.

Story and photo courtesy of Bayport-Blue Point School District.

The PTA at Tackan Elementary School in Smithtown worked with the Smithtown High School East Leadership students to present the annual Kindness Games, in support of the ReesSpecht Life Foundation.  Students in kindergarten through fifth grade participated in face painting, kickball, tug of war, relay races, hula-hoop competitions and other field day games and activities that promote sportsmanship and kindness.

HSE leadership students, under the direction of adviser Bruce Lepanto, organized, advertised and supervised the Kindness Games events. School community members of all ages, including Tackan alumni, were invited to participate in the free event. The PTA accepted donations for the foundation, and the barbecue raised funds through the sale of food and baked goods. The HSE Leadership Club also accepted donations, created baskets to raffle and sold 50/50 raffle tickets. Proceeds were donated to the ReesSpecht Life Foundation, which was created in memory of Richard (Rees) Edwin-Ehmer Specht, who lost his life at a young age.

Formed by the Specht family, the foundation was established to promote community, compassion and, most importantly, respect in young people through advocacy, awareness, and encouraging acts of kindness and paying it forward. A memorial scholarship was established in honor of Rees. More than $1,400 was raised through this year’s Tackan Kindness Games.

According to Tackan PTA President Bernadette Ackerman, the event serves as the culmination of a building-wide week of activities that focus on how young children can demonstrate kindness.

Photo Caption (applies to all photos): Tackan ES students participated in a variety of field day games and activities that promote teamwork and kindness as part of the school’s Kindness Games, held in conjunction with the PTA and HSE Leadership students to benefit the ReesSpecht Life Foundation.

Photos courtesy of the Smithtown Central School District

MOREHEAD, Ky. — The Morehead State athletic department completed 1,030 hours of community service during a recent 10-day period.

All staff and students completed clean-up projects at parks, helped at donation centers, conducted youth clinics, visited nursing homes, worked at churches and schools and finished off the week by donating leftover food from student-athlete fun day to Christian Social Services.

“Community service week was an overwhelming success,” Assistant Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Services and Senior Woman Administrator Sara Larson said. “I am very proud we exceeded our goal, and the Morehead community took notice. We received a countless number of thank you comments from people on campus and in our community. I want to thank our entire department for participating in this total group effort. We plan to take on this endeavor again in the future and look forward to serving the community even more.”

Below is list of projects the department participated in.

Friday, 4/24
** Christian Social Services — athletic department staff

Saturday, 4/25
** Build a Bed at Peddler’s Mall — football and rifle
** Lockegee Rock clean up — men’s and women’s tennis

Sunday, 4/26
** Pig Skin and Greek trash pick up — football

Monday, 4/27
** City Park clean up — softball, cross country/track & field and cheerleading
** Community Soup Kitchen — volleyball

Tuesday, 4/28
** Youth Baseball Clinic at Allen Field — baseball

Wednesday, 4/29
** Community Soup Kitchen — men’s basketball
** Christian Social Services — men’s golf and volleyball
** Volunteer at Boyd County Middle School — volleyball

Thursday, 4/30
** Community Soup Kitchen — men’s basketball and volleyball
** Clinic at Clearfield Elementary — volleyball
** Cave Run Lake clean up — volleyball
** City Park clean up — women’s basketball
** Visit to McBrayer Elementary — football
** Visit to Life Care Center of Morehead — soccer, men’s golf and cheerleading

Friday, 5/1
** Clinic at Clearfield Elementary — volleyball
** Christian Social Services — volleyball and cheerleading
** Trash pick up on campus — volleyball
** Rodburn Park clean up — cross country/track and field
** Glow Run 5K for Autism Awareness — women’s golf and athletic staff
** Visit to Life Care Center of Morehead — variety of student-athletes
** City Park clean up — athletic department staff

Saturday, 5/2
** Rowan County prom after-event — Student-Athlete Advisory committee
** Rowan County prom clean up — sports medicine and women’s basketball
** God’s Pantry volunteer — volleyball
** Christian Social Services — volleyball

Sunday, 5/3
** Crosspoint Church clean up — women’s golf

Hempstead, NY – Throughout the 2014-15 academic year, Hofstra student-athletes dedicated themselves to serving others. Between Hofstra’s 17 athletic teams and more than 300 student-athletes, the Pride took part in 41 community service projects and totaled more than 3,300 hours of service.

One highlighted project was the Yards 4 Yeardley campaign. The event was in support of the One Love Foundation, which looks to bring education and awareness to college campuses regarding domestic violence. Students from all 17 teams got together and ran more than 1,000,000 yards in just two days to help promote this outstanding campaign. Other community service projects included visiting local elementary schools for reading days along with sports clinics, the Annual Shake-A-Rake event and the Special Olympics Polar Plunge. The Department of Athletics is very proud of the terrific work of our student-athletes, and would like to send a special thank you to all of the student-athletes and coaches who dedicated their time and efforts to serve others this year.

Some of the projects that Hofstra’s student-athletes took part in were:

CAA Food Drive and Blood Drive Challenges
Each year the Colonial Athletic Association hosts the CAA Blood Drive Challenge as well as the CAA Food Drive Challenge. These events have collected thousands of pints in blood donations, along with tens of thousands of pounds of food. The challenges have become staples in the community service of all schools in the CAA, and Hofstra student-athletes spearheaded two outstanding campaigns this year to support the cause.

Men’s and Women’s Basketball Basketball Clinics
Throughout the year, the Hofstra Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams conducted basketball clinics for several local elementary schools and youth organizations. Schools visited included North Side Elementary in Levittown, St. Joseph’s in Hempstead, PS 223 in Jamaica and The Viscardi Center in Albertson. Local youth organizations worked with included the Let All The Children Play Foundation, Special Olympics of Long Island and the Towns of Hempstead and North Hempstead.

HEADStrong Fundraiser
Each fall the women’s lacrosse program hosts a weekend tournament to help benefit the HEADStrong Foundation. This year student-athletes from men’s lacrosse and men’s tennis volunteered throughout the day to assist with the tournament.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
Student-athletes from Hofstra’s men’s tennis team took part in the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk held at Jones Beach State Park. Team members helped raise funds for cancer research, and joined with thousands of participants to help support those battling breast cancer.

Long Island Children’s Museum
Team members from men’s and women’s tennis, women’s basketball and baseball assisted with the Long Island Children’s Museum Annual Ghostly Gala, a Halloween event for children. The evening had a variety of activities, including a spooky room, arts and crafts, as well as educational sessions for children of all ages. Student-athletes volunteered in a variety of ways to enhance the experience of each guest.

North Side Elementary School Biography Day
On October 29, 2014, 25 student-athletes took a very special trip to North Side Elementary School in Levittown to be interviewed by fourth graders. Hofstra’s volunteers were asked a variety of questions about their lives and how they were able to become Division I student-athletes. From the conversations, each fourth grade student wrote a biography on the Hofstra student-athlete whom they interviewed. This event taught the youngsters the power of a strong balance between education and athletics in order to become successful.

Let All The Children Play Foundation Clinic
Hofstra’s student-athletes hosted a clinic for the Let All The Children Play Foundation in the Hofstra University Fitness Center. Team members from men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s soccer, along with volleyball took part in this event. Student-athletes spent the morning running sport specific stations, teaching children the basics of basketball, soccer and volleyball, while stressing the importance of fitness, teamwork and inclusion through sport.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island
This year, several student-athletes volunteered to be “bigs”, with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. Student-athletes met with their matches each Wednesday, and, in addition to playing sports, assisted with homework and took part in several activities around campus that gave the children several opportunities to learn what college is all about.

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Student-athletes from Hofstra’s field hockey and volleyball programs took part in the ALS Association Ice Bucket Challenge this semester. Student-athletes volunteered to dump buckets of ice water on their heads in order to raise funds and awareness for ALS. Along with our student-athletes, several coaches and administrators took part in the challenge as well, including Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Hathaway.

Raleigh City Farm
Raleigh City Farm is a not-for-profit organization that looks to transform areas of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, into nourishing farmland. While the Pride Men’s Soccer team was in Raleigh for the weekend for an athletic competition, Coach Nuttall and the entire team volunteered at the farm’s annual fundraiser dinner and banquet. Student-athletes helped set-up tables, chairs and dinner settings for more than 200 attendees.

Viscardi Center
Hofstra’s Women’s Basketball and Men’s Lacrosse teams made very special trips to the Viscardi Center, which is a non-profit organization that provides education and services for adults and children with disabilities, in Albertson. Hofstra’s student-athletes spoke to the children at the center about the importance of perseverance and dedication, as well as took part in recreational activities with the group.

Special Olympics of New York Polar Plunge
More than 30 student-athletes, coaches and administrators combined to take the plunge in support of the Special Olympics of New York at Bar Beach in Port Washington. The Hofstra team raised more than $1,000, as well as volunteered with registration at the event. Team members from men’s and women’s cross country and volleyball volunteered, while team members from field hockey, men’s tennis, women’s soccer and women’s golf took the plunge to support the organization.

Hofstra Baseball Player “Draft”
The Hofstra Baseball team partnered with Team IMPACT to “draft” 6-year old Sal Trotta and his 4-year old brother, Vincent, making them honorary members of the Pride. Sal was diagnosed with Acute-Lymphoblastic Leukemia in 2014. He is in remission but must receive chemotherapy treatments regularly until 2017. Vincent is Sal’s best friend and greatest supporter. The “Draft Day” was facilitated by Boston-based nonprofit organization Team IMPACT, whose mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses through the power of team.