— Classes were canceled Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but one Missouri Southern State University group put King’s legacy of service to the test by giving up the morning to volunteer.

About 50 student athletes and coaches spent the morning at Children’s Haven, 701 S. Picher Ave., to help the shelter — which temporarily houses children and teens in times of family crisis — move into a new, larger home that has been built next door at 711 S. Picher Ave.

Kacie Hulse, a sophomore nursing major and member of the women’s soccer team, said she jumped on the opportunity to volunteer at Children’s Haven when her coach suggested it.

“I always like helping the community,” she said. “It makes me feel better and happy just helping with everything.”

Callie Whetstone, a sophomore biology major and member of the volleyball team, said helping Children’s Haven in its move was a way for her to give back to the Joplin community.

“The community supports us in what we do; they come to our games,” she said. “It’s just nice to be able to lend a helping hand.”

MSSU baseball coach Bryce Darnell said the service project was not only a team-building exercise for the students, but it also served to get them thinking about the world beyond Missouri Southern.

“I think it’s important that these guys understand there’s a community around them, and they need to be part of that community and be civic-minded,” he said.

Kelly Wilson, director of Advising, Counseling and Testing Services at Missouri Southern, said the service project fit perfectly with Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which has become a national day of service.

“It’s known as a day on, not a day off,” Wilson said.

Nearly an hour into the project, the students and their coaches had found a workable system, forming a human assembly line that snaked between the houses as they handed off the items — including clothing and boxes of diapers and canned goods — one by one.

The new, 14,202-square-foot Children’s Haven house will double the organization’s amount of space as well as the number of children who can be served, from 12 to 24 at a time. It includes a family visiting room, an intake office, a wellness room, a nursery and a separate living room for teens. The basement includes a safe room that doubles as an activity area for youngsters.

Stephanie Theis, executive director, said the organization needed assistance moving its items from storage from the old house to the new in preparation for moving its clients next month.

“We couldn’t have done it without all their help,” she said of the Missouri Southern athletes.

New building

CHILDREN’S HAVEN is moving into a new, larger building in part because of increased demand for its services. Stephanie Theis, executive director, previously told the Globe that the organization has seen a 40 percent sustained increase in demand since 2011.

Source: http://www.joplinglobe.com/topstories/x1427968080/VIDEO-SLIDE-SHOW-Student-athletes-coaches-spend-MLK-Day-volunteering
By Emily Younker

WORCESTER, Mass. – A Clark University contingent that includes 11 student-athletes, in conjunction with Seven Hills Global Outreach (SHGO) an organization that supports humanitarian efforts in developing nations through collaborative means have traveled to Loma Linda, Guatemala for a nine-day international service-learning trip that will benefit the village community.

The brainchild of former men’s tennis student-athlete and current graduate student Harris Rollinger (Lexington, Mass.), CAST (Clark Athletics Service Trip) will see its group organize and conduct Sport for Development related activities, engage in cultural sharing and education, team building and work to develop an ecotourism business in Loma Linda.

Along with SHGO, CAST worked closely with Real Futbol Training and the Little Grasshoppers, with those organizations holding soccer equipment drives to give materials for CAST to bring to Loma Linda.

Student-athletes participating in the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in addition to Rollinger are: Spencer Brightman (Men’s Tennis, Sudbury, Mass.), Hana Chamoun (Women’s Soccer, Bala Cynwyd, Pa.), Elizabeth Gomes (Women’s Soccer, Arlington, Mass.), Robert Holden (Men’s Lacrosse, Longmeadow, Mass.), Rose Koerner (Women’s Soccer, Ware, Mass.), Dennis O’Brien (Men’s Lacrosse, Medfield, Mass.), Courtney Pharr (Volleyball, Seattle, Wash.), Rachel Spera (Volleyball, North Hollywood, Calif.), Aaron Segura (Men’s Soccer, Wooster, Ohio), Jenna Zarou (Women’s Soccer, Garden City, N.Y.).

“As a department, we couldn’t be more proud of our student-athletes for cultivating this endeavor,” said interim Director of Athletics and Recreation, Trish Cronin. “They took charge and are doing something they truly believe in.”

This service project falls directly in line with the University’s pioneering educational model dubbed, LEEP – Liberal Education and Effective Practice. Students at Clark are encouraged to take part in guidance and mentoring, world and workplace experiences and extracurricular and co-curricular activities – all of which will take place during this trip.

Source: http://www.newmacsports.com/landing/2013-14_News/20140106_CLK_CommunityService

Hempstead, NY – Throughout the fall semester, Hofstra student-athletes continuously answered the call to serve others. Between Hofstra’s 17 athletic teams and more than 300 student-athletes, the Pride took part in 21 community service projects and totaled more than 1,300 hours of service.

Each year Hofstra takes part in the CAA Blood Drive Challenge, which sees each school in the Colonial Athletic Association host a blood drive during the fall semester. This year’s drive at Hofstra was held on the one-year anniversary of Superstorm Sandy hitting Long Island and Hofstra students, faculty and administrators, as well as the local community, showed their support. Hofstra placed second overall in the competition, collecting more than 400 pints of blood, and finished first in the category that recognizes the highest percentage increase of donors from last year. The second place finish was the highest Hofstra has placed in the 12 years the event has been held. Pride student-athletes not only donated blood, but volunteered in the weeks prior to the event to help spread the word, as well as during the drive to help run the check-in table and assist participants after they had donated.

Other community service projects our student-athletes participated in included raking leaves around the Hempstead and Uniondale communities, running sports clinics for local youth, visiting soup kitchens as well as collecting and donating school supplies to local classrooms. The Hofstra Department of Athletics is very proud of the terrific work of our student-athletes and would like to send a special thank you to the men’s lacrosse team, who totaled nearly 500 hours of service during the fall semester.

Some of the projects taken part in by Hofstra’s student-athletes include:

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, women’s basketball, men’s tennis, baseball and women’s tennis volunteered throughout the day to assist with the tournament.

Martin Luther King Jr. Park Clean Up

The men’s tennis team spent a Sunday morning in December at MLK Jr. Park in Hempstead. Along with other students from Hofstra and several community members, Pride student-athletes helped clean up the park as part of the Hempstead Beautification Program.

Shake-A-Rake

Each year the Hofstra University Department of Off-Campus Living partners with the Department of Athletics in a large-scale leaf-raking event. This year more than 100 student-athletes spent the morning raking leaves and clearing the walkways of elderly and disabled community members in the Hempstead, Uniondale and Roosevelt towns of Long Island. More than 25 homes were serviced during the project, which continues to grow each year and has become a staple project for Hofstra University students.

Long Island Children’s Museum

Student-athletes from the women’s cross country, women’s golf and baseball teams took separate trips to the Long Island Children’s Museum throughout the fall to help in a variety of ways. Student-athletes led arts and crafts stations, assisted with the Museum’s birthday celebration and took part in educational games during their visits.

Cycle For A Cure

The Pride softball team took part in a cycling fundraiser in the Hofstra University Fitness Center. All proceeds raised during the four-session event were donated to cancer research.

Tunnel To Towers Run

Both the men and women’s lacrosse programs, including coaching staffs and several other athletic department administrators, took part in the annual 5k run which follows the path of fallen firefighter Stephen Siller during the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Breast Cancer Walk

Student-athletes from the women’s cross country team took part in an annual 5k 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 who are battling breast cancer.

Soccer Clinic

The men and women’s soccer teams took part in two clinics during the fall semester. Student-athletes visited the Massapequa Soccer Club for a clinic in late August and then hosted a clinic on campus for local children in September. Both events were fun, educational and enjoyed by all participants.

Epilepsy Awareness Lift

In an effort to raise awareness for those living with epilepsy, the Hofstra Softball team wore purple shirts, headbands and sweatbands to show their support. The images were shared with local epilepsy advocacy groups.

Stay Strong Carissa

The softball team assisted 2013 graduate Olivia Galati in hosting a charity softball game for Carissa Crossan, a 13- year old Long Island softball player who was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. The sold-out game was held November 9 at the Hofstra Softball Stadium and raised more than $7,600 to help with Carissa’s medical expenses.

Day 1 & 2: Devlin S-AFE Service Trip in New Orleans
22 BC Student-Athletes Travel to New Orleans for the fifth straight year
Junior Collin Fedor

Junior Collin Fedor

Jan. 7, 2014

Twenty two Boston College student-athletes traveled to New Orleans for the fifth annual Devlin S-AFE Service Immersion Trip to rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. Each day, a student-athlete will blog about the experience.

Day One & Two: Collin Fedor, Men’s Track & Field

After starting at a brisk 4:40 a,m., we arrived into New Orleans after a long day of travel. After settling into Annuciation, the Mission kind enough to host us, we went to the Lower Ninth Ward. Known by most as the area hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina, seeing the devastation was a very sobering experience. Once a thriving and densely populated neighborhood, it was characterized by empty lots and decrepit houses. However, there was a moment of hope and recovery when Jeff Burke [baseball] and Ryan Dunn [soccer] stopped to say hello to the family living in the house they built last year. Seeing them put a smile on everyone’s faces proved the impact of this trip.

We had a quick turnaround as we headed into the exciting French Quarter downtown. Although the visit was short, it didn’t take long to soak in the atmosphere along Bourbon Street.

With an early end to the night, we got off to an early start this morning. Fueled by some excellent homemade pancakes and sausage, we made our way over to the St. Bernard Project to get to work. We’re doing our volunteer the nonprofit started by a couple that visited post-Katrina New Orleans and took the challenge to contribute to this great city’s return to normalcy. St. Bernard has helped create homes for more than 500 families affected by the storm and its aftermath. Our group of 25 was split among two worksites: One assigned to demolition and the other assigned to “finishing touches.” I’m working on finishing touches with more than half of the group.

Despite the cold, working on the site was great! It wasn’t long before we were hard at work. For most of us, it was the first time working on a house like this, but we were quick learners. We attacked the power saw and wielded the nail gun like pros. I was on a team that worked on the base and shoe molding of the bedrooms. The floor laminates are all laid down and the house is actually starting to look like a home! Stephen Sauter [baseball] and Alex Kapp [soccer] made better doors than windowsills, while a few others laid tiles in the bathroom. We worked for a solid four hours and impressed the site manager with our hard work and dedication.

Our dedication didn’t end at the worksite. We went straight to Tulane University where we had the opportunity to get in a workout. The quest for excellence doesn’t take a break! I went for a run with my teammate Shane Constantine around Tulane and soaked in the southern sun. We settled into supper for a New Orleans Monday night classic, red beans and rice. We topped off the night dominating the lanes at Rock N’ Bowl.

It’s been a great trip so far and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week. There’s a huge difference between talking about when the levees broke and seeing right where the cracks were. Eight years later the damage is still obvious, but hope lies in the spirit of these strong people. It’s a great privilege to be able to lend a helping hand and it’s certainly something special to do it with so many BC student-athletes.

Source: http://www.bceagles.com/sports/saac/spec-rel/010714aaa.html

CONWAY, Ark. – Approximately 175 Conway area residents received a new pair of shoes on Sunday, thanks to a combined effort from Samaritan’s Feet, the University of Central Arkansas Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and True Holiness Saints Center.

The event at True Holiness Saints Center was on behalf of Samaritan’s Feet, a national organization that provides shoes to the needy. The event was one of 11 shoe distributions being held across the country for the National Day of Service on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. In 2013, Samaritan’s Feet held 21 Shoes of Hope events to celebrate the National Day of Service.

Sunday’s recipients, who were pre-chosen from the community, consisted of Conway children, elderly and Bethlehem House residents.

“It was awesome to watch,’ said Natalie Shock, UCA’s assistant athletic director and senior woman administrator who helped coordinate the project. “There was laughter, then sometimes you had to wipe away the tears. Certainly, the people were excited to get new shoes. But I really thought our student-athletes may have gotten as much or more out of the experience than the folks getting the shoes.’

The UCA SAAC, for the past two years, has been involved with Samaritan’s Feet, an organization that strives to give shoes to those in need and has specific programs that work through athletic groups to achieve the organization’s goals. UCA, along with thousands of coaches around the country, has participated in “Barefoot for Bare Feet,” where the basketball and volleyball coaches have coached games without shoes to raise awareness for the cause.

The UCA student-athletes participating Sunday met and interacted with the recipients, helped them select their shoes, washed their feet and then put on their new socks and shoes. The Shoes of Hope events provide unique opportunities for the volunteers to encourage, provide comfort, and share hope with those in need.

Samaritan’s Feet has a goal to hand out 1 million shoes in 10 years.

Source: http://www.southland.org/news/2014/1/15/GEN_0115143012.aspx