BROOKVILLE, N.Y. (May 1, 2014) – The LIU Post Department of Athletics recently participated in the on-campus Relay for Life event last Friday, and were one of 76 different groups to take part in the 12-hour charity cause. The combined efforts of the student-athletes, coaches and administrators raised over $2,500 to help aid the American Cancer Society.

“We are very proud of our student-athletes for joining different causes to commit to community service,” said Director of Athletics and Recreation Bryan Collins (Sayville, N.Y.). “The entire department has been instrumental in helping us to reach our goal of 4,000 hours of community service. The Relay for Life event was a new part of our efforts and was brought to the University by the Student Government Association. We are very proud to have been part of the efforts in this event.”

The Department of Athletics raised an exact total amount of $2,535 in the Relay for Life, which was the third-highest total among all participating groups and organizations. Moreover, the University raised over $50,000 as a whole to donate to the American Cancer Society. The event lasted from 5 p.m. on Friday to 5 a.m. on Saturday and opened with cancer survivors and family members of non-cancer survivors leading the participants in a walk that would continue until the end of the event. In addition, participants were encouraged to camp out and enjoy great food, games and an overall fun atmosphere that brought the LIU Post community together as a whole.

“This was a great community event not just for us,” said Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach and SAAC liaison Meghan McNamara (East Northport, N.Y.), “but also for the entire campus as well. Our department put in a great number of hours towards this event because the ACS is a great organization to be a part of. For us, this cause and the fight against cancer truly hit home and we were blessed to participate in the Relay for Life.”

In addition to the department’s success in the event, red-shirt freshman quarterback Matthew Brennan (Sayville, N.Y.) and his friends raised $1,165 to benefit the American Cancer Society. Brennan’s contribution was the most money raised by a member of the LIU Post Athletics “team” and the second-highest total among individual participants. Brennan and his friends supported the walk in honor of his mother, who passed away after a courageous battle against cancer.

“I commend Matt Brennan,” said Collins, “for raising the money that he did along with his friends. Matt is a young man with outstanding character and was truly raised from a good family. He participated in the Relay for Life and walked with a purpose, and we support him and his family through what is a difficult time in his life.”

To learn more about the American Cancer Society and its Relay for Life program, visit www.relayforlife.org. To view the LIU Post Relay for Life page, click here.

Source: http://liupostpioneers.com/news/2014/5/1/GEN_0501142236.aspx

On Saturday, 41 Austin College student-athletes volunteered with the Special Olympics of Greater Dallas Spring Games, which were held at Lovejoy High School. Helping to organize the event were former ‘Roo basketball player Katy Williams, coaches Loren Dawson and Kristina Corona, and members of the ‘Roo Student Athlete Advisory Council.

“Saturday was another example of how outstanding the young men and women are in this athletics department,” said Dawson, head coach of the ‘Roo football team. “Although the goal was to serve others, the experience was so rewarding that I believe we received more than we gave. It was a true blessing to work with the Special Olympians.”

The student-athlete volunteers helped out in various facets during the Spring Games, working with events such as track and field, judging the softball toss, and also escorting the competitors to the awards stands.

“It was a great time, and getting to work with the kids of all ages is always fun,” said junior football player Noah Jesko, president of the SAAC. “Watching them compete with each other, having fun, and interacting with all of our student-athletes was pretty cool. I’m really glad that we all got to go, and I can’t wait to go back next year.”

This is the latest collaboration between Austin College athletics and Special Olympics. Earlier this year, Austin College was honored as the winner of the NCAA Division III Special Olympics National Spotlight Poll for an event that was hosted in the Mason Complex. That event was also coordinated by Williams, a 2010 graduate of Austin College who works as a Program Director for Special Olympics.

“Special Olympics was a time for all of our student-athletes to come together to help support other athletes in a fun-filled way,” said women’s basketball player Jenna Longo, the vice president of the SAAC. “It’s always enjoyable to see how happy the athletes are when you show them support and try to make their day a memorable one.”

Source: http://www.acroos.com/genrel/2013-14/specialolympics0414#.U2EMfM9UebM.twitter

McDaniel student-athletes are often involved in community service activities. On Sunday, two area events garnered the attention and support of many of the Green Terror teams.

Members of no fewer than 11 teams partnered with the Hill Family Center YMCA in Westminster to put on a Sports Day for youth in the area. Athletes from the basketball, field hockey, football, lacrosse, soccer, track and field, volleyball and wrestling teams joined forces to help run the stations.

Youths who attended could choose from five tracks, consisting of a variety of sports.

Ryan Weiss, a junior on the men’s lacrosse team, was one of the athletes who helped run the football and lacrosse station and noticed the kids were excited to learn different parts of the sport – not just catch Hail Marys.

“One of the kids kept asking if we were going to do long snapping drills because that was his job,” Weiss said. “They ended up practicing throwing, catching and snapping.”

After the stations were finished, there was a 30-minute window for the kids and their parents to ask questions of the athletes.

The day was organized by Exercise Science and Physical Education instructor Becky Allen and her sports management graduate class. Students were responsible for planning the event and getting student-athletes to help with the stations as well as contacting sponsors to provide refreshments and t-shirts.

Allen talked to some parents, who were thrilled with the variety of sports offered.

“The parents were excited with all of the sports their children could try. It provided the participants with an opportunity to develop a better idea of the sports they may want to play in the future. The kids were also really excited to be coached by college-level players and really paid attention to what they were talking about.”

Members of the football and women’s lacrosse teams were also involved elsewhere in Carroll County on Sunday, assisting with the MS Walk at Carroll Community College.

No fewer than 15 members of the football team volunteered to set up tables and help with registration for the 5K.

During the event, about 20 members of the women’s lacrosse worked a station at the halfway point of the walk, serving snacks and beverages.

MS Walks are held in 11 communities across Maryland with more than 8,000 total walkers and more than $1 million dollars raised.

Source: http://www.mcdanielathletics.com/spotlight/20140403_commservice

Role Model Finds His Calling at High School

High school student and football player Isaiah Edwards, 16, was recently honored by the district for his exemplary volunteer work with special needs children in the district. In particular, Edwards was singled out for acting as a role model and mentor for Peter Gilbert, a 13 year-old student at Robert Frost who has autism and a rare genetic disease.

Calling Edwards a hero, Frank Caliguiri, Deer Park’s assistant superintendent of pupil personnel services, said, “Isaiah has a rare gift and has found his calling in working with these kids. He is so in tune with what is necessary in the life of an autistic child.”

Edwards is considering a future career as a teacher, and according to Caliguiri, would be welcomed back to his alma mater one day as an educator.

Source: http://deerparkschools.org/news/?layoutid=208

FA dodgeball fundraiser raises over $1,000 for North Shore Sheltering Program

Highly attended event draws up to 250 Upper School students and faculty.
Take nine Friends Academy faculty, almost 250 Upper School students and add in a bunch of criss-crossing yellow and orange dodgeballs and you have the makings of one of the largest Friends Academy fundraisers for the North Shore Sheltering Program in Glen Cove.

On Friday, March 28, the Upper School club W.A.T.C.H. (We Are The Community Helpers) sponsored one of the school’s largest dodgeball tournaments ever. Reams of students paid $5 each for the potential honor of taking on the Faculty Team.

“All of the student teams wanted to play the faculty,” said WATCH advisor Judy James. “The event would not have been the same without the teachers. They really motivated the kids to come.” Student teams ranged in size from 8 to 20 players, including the entire lacrosse team. Some adopted costumed themes for the evening – the “Milk team” wore all white, while others adorned various headgear (from football helmets to bear hats to ski goggles) to make their presence known. The two-hour evening event ultimately raised $1,244.00 for the North Shore Sheltering Program in Glen Cove.

Founded 18 years ago by concerned local citizens after two homeless men froze to death in Glen Cove, the Shelter is housed in the Parish Hall of the Glen Cove Presbyterian Church. Every day at 6 p.m., the Shelter’s doors open and welcome any and all men without a place to sleep. The Shelter also offers daily hot meals as well as medical services.

“Most of the local men who turn up at the Shelter are only homeless in the winter,” explained James. “The rest of the year they are able to find work and earn enough to get by.” Since the Shelter only opens part of the year during the coldest months (November-March), it is not eligible for any government aid and must operate solely on donations.

Since its founding, the Friends Academy community has been providing help through the cooking and serving of dinners, and donations of sleeping bags, toiletries and other non-perishable items. Many of the weekly sandwiches that FA students make in school are also donated to the Shelter and according to James, “may be the only lunch many of these men have.”

Source: http://www.fa.org/cf_news/view.cfm?newsid=318