OAKDALE, N.Y.- Dowling College is set to host the Make-A-Wish Walk for Wishes 5K Run/Walk Sunday, September 28, 2014. This will be the second year that the Golden Lions are hosting this event on the Brookhaven Campus in Shirley, N.Y.

Last year, the event involved more that 400 participants and raised over $30, 000 for the Make-A-Wish Suffolk County Chapter.

Former wish recipient Craig Nelson of West Islip, N.Y. along with Disney’s Fairy Godmother presented Douglas Grimmett, a six year old boy with a life threatening illness, with his wish of going to Disney World.

2014 Walk For Wishes Information
Register 9am • Start 11am
Pre-Registration $25 (by 9/10/2014)
Includes T-Shirt, Time Chip & Race Number
Late Registration $30 (after 9/10/2014)
Does Not Include T-Shirt

TO REGISTER GO TO : http://www.dowlingathletics.com/news/2014/9/11/CHAMPS_0911142543.aspx?path=champs

On August 22nd, over 100 student-athletes, coaches and others from the FSU community came out to the Kidz1stFund event of Florida State head football coach Jimbo Fisher to support the family at the Indoor Practice Facility. For the past three years, the Kidz1stFund has sponsored a donor registration event for the FSU community to educate everyone about the organization’s fight against Fanconi anemia.

Fanconi anemia is a rare blood disorder that can lead to bone marrow failure. Ethan Fisher, the youngest son of FSU coach Jimbo Fisher and his wife Candi, was diagnosed with the rare disease three years ago.

“We’ve done this for a few years now and we always invite the student-athletes to come out and I think more than anything, it is educating them on the importance of something like this,” said Candi Fisher. “Most of them have never heard of this or they don’t understand what exactly they’re being asked to do. This is a lifelong gift, you’re in the national bone marrow registry; there are 71 diseases that require bone marrow transplant for adults and children and you never know when one of them can be the perfect match and the only match that someone can find and save someone’s life.”

This inherited disorder affects about 1 in 131,000 people, and occurs equally in males, females and all ethnic groups. People with FA can have a variety of health issues including kidney problems, heart defects and hearing problems, along with other medical issues. Even though those affected by this disease have no physical symptoms, the majority of all people will have a decline in their blood counts over time, eventually leading to bone marrow failure. The average life expectancy for a patient with FA is 29 years.

To read more please visit: http://www.seminoles.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=32900&ATCLID=209648090

FIU men’s basketball players spent time with patients at Lou Holtz Children’s Hospital during the summer.
Growing up with a father and uncles who helped him become the man he is today, men’s basketball senior guard Marco Porcher Jimenez knows how important good role models are in life.

Because of the role they played in his life, Jimenez embraces the opportunity to encourage and give hope to children whom may not have a mentor or father figure in their lives.

“I was fortunate to have someone push me along the right path and show me right from wrong, but not everyone has that,” said Jimenez. “A lot of the kids we help come from poor families or don’t have father-figures, and as a kid you need that. Anything I can do to help someone, whether it’s just a few words or keeping in touch, I want to do it.”

This summer, Jimenez and his teammates took part in a number of different community service initiatives, including volunteering at Chapman Partnership where they held a basketball clinic for the elementary-aged kids residing at the homeless shelter.

FIU student-athletes have worked on a wide variety of projects and outreaches in the community through the years, from the men’s soccer team helping serve lunches to the homeless at Miami Rescue Mission to members of the football team speaking to students at Pine Villa Elementary about the importance of education and hard work.

Assistant Athletic Director of Student-Athlete Development Liz Agustin, who helps arrange and organize different events and outreaches, says she has seen more student-athletes take the initiative when it comes to going out into the community and volunteering their time.

For student-athletes, it’s also an opportunity to work on skills such as communication, leadership and networking that will help them long after they leave campus. But more importantly, many want to have a positive influence on those whom they serve.

“They are role models so it’s their responsibility to use their influence in a good way. They are really active in the community, involved in almost everything out there,” Agustin said. “These events and outreaches are a great way to humble them and keep things in perspective. It lets them know there are bigger things in the world going on.”

Since the beginning of the Fall 2008 semester, FIU student-athletes have completed more than 25,250 hours of service in the community. From the beginning of the Summer 2013 semester to the end of the Spring 2014 semester, they logged a total of 4,256 hours of community service.

This summer alone, student-athletes from all teams volunteered 273 hours in the community on a variety of projects.

The football team volunteered at the Miami Football Festival organized by the Miami-Dade Parks and Recreation Department, providing football training and motivation for the children attending. They also organized a “Panther for a Day” event for disabled kids attending Camp Cantecumbe. Wide receiver Richard Burrows, who completed his internship at the camp this summer, came up with the idea.

Student-athletes from men’s basketball, football, women’s soccer, men’s and women’s track and field visited with patients at Lou Holtz Children’s Hospital – even celebrating many birthdays.

The women’s soccer team partnered with the Florida Gators to host a soccer clinic for Girl’s Place, a local non-profit organization in Gainesville, FL. Together, the two teams helped teach small groups of girls technical soccer skills and played fun games like red light, green light.

The FIU women’s soccer team partnered with UF to hold a soccer clinic for Girl’s Place, a non-profit organization in Gainesville, FL.
Women’s soccer has consistently led FIU Athletics in community service. From Summer 2013 to Spring 2014, the team’s members put in 1,100 hours of service.

“All of our service projects are aimed at helping a group in need,” said women’s soccer Head Coach Thomas Chestnutt. “We feel that focusing on areas of real need also helps our student-athletes have a better understanding of how fortunate they are. We should all lend a hand to make the world we live in be a better place. When we have an impact locally, it helps globally.”

TAKING THE INITIATIVE

Women’s soccer midfielder Sara Stewart served the highest number of hours in the community this summer, volunteering 171 hours at two animal clinics while visiting her hometown in Canada.

Stewart, a redshirt junior majoring in biology, is an aspiring veterinarian and helped staff members at the clinics care for all types of animals – common house pets, racehorses and show horses.

“We like to give back to the community because it is a privilege for us to be here and we really enjoy making a difference in other people’s lives,” Stewart says of herself and her teammates. “It not only gives me experience in the field but it gives me a chance to help people and animals out as well.”

Source: Joel Delgado × 09/12/2014 at 10:20 am

Student-athletes embrace active role in serving the community

CINCINNATI- University of Cincinnati student-athletes and staff are participating in the Shoes for Haiti shoe drive to raise funds and necessities for the people of Haiti. The fundraiser is currently running through Sept. 13.

The goal of the shoe drive is to help provide footwear to people in need in the country of Haiti and to encourage UC students to consider performing a service trip abroad. Men’s track and field athlete Brian Barney (South Holland, Ill./Seton Academy) started the project after participating in a service trip to Haiti in December 2013 where he noticed the number of people without sufficient footwear. The shoes will be shipped to Croix-des-Bouquets, Haiti, which is just outside of Port-au-Prince.
Other campus organizations participating in the drive are Serve Beyond Cincinnati, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Theta Phi Alpha Sorority, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Sigma Chi Fraternity.

To make a contribution, donation bins will be placed on the 4th floors of the Steger Life Center and the Lindner Athletics Center.

-GoBEARCATS.com-

The children buzzed with anticipation at the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center in New Hyde Park when word spread of a Thursday afternoon visit from New York Islanders’ forward Colin McDonald.

“One patient, who was in our bone marrow transplant unit, when we told her (McDonald) was coming, she literally gasped,” said Amanda Filippazzo, a Child Life Assistant at the hospital. “It was the first time in a while we’ve seen her smile and really just light up, and a lot of times they were so excited when he walked in the room.”

McDonald spent the afternoon meeting and interacting with young fans in different wings of the hospital, signing autographs and brightening the days of the patients. The visits from Islanders’ players give children the opportunity to forget about the hospital atmosphere for a while and enjoy the company of a professional hockey player. Every smile stuck with McDonald.

“These kids are going through such tough times and just to see them smile for just the little bit of time I’m with them, it’s the least we could do, and it’s one way for us to give back to the community,” McDonald said.

McDonald visited “The Lion’s Den,” a playroom on a general pediatric floor. Eagerly awaiting the Islander, 12-year-old Joshua Martinez challenged McDonald to a game of NBA 2K12.

“I won’t go too hard on you,” Martinez said with a grin while setting up the game on his Xbox 360.

I’m just trying to make somewhat of a difference no matter how small it might be. – Colin McDonald
McDonald managed to keep the game close, but ultimately surrendered to Martinez 11-8. Nearby, 10-year-old Ian Chan took a homework break to thumb through a new set of Islanders trading cards. Chan, a newly converted Islanders fan, plans on rooting for McDonald and the Islanders during the upcoming season.

“It’s pretty cool,” Chan said. “I never really watch hockey, but it’s pretty cool to meet a professional hockey player.”

Source: http://islanders.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=730221&navid=DL|NYI|home

McDonald especially enjoyed meeting 15-year-old Laura Uribe, who clutched a new Islanders teddy bear and t-shirt. The visit reminded the forward how lucky he is to be in a position to give back.

“I’m just trying to take advantage of the situation we’re in being a professional athlete and trying to make somewhat of a difference no matter how small it might be,” he said.

What seems small to McDonald is huge for the kids at Cohen’s. McDonald left the children in high spirits and ready to cheer on their new favorite Islanders’ player when the puck drops in October.