West Nyack, N.Y. – St. Thomas Aquinas College Athletes representing the Cross Country and Track & Field programs took time from their busy schedules on Sunday to roll up their sleeves and lend a hand at the 5th Annual Fall Family Festival, sponsored by the Historical Society of Rockland County.

The event, held at Germonds Park in West Nyack, NY brought families from across the county and neighboring communities together for a whole host of activities, including:

• Revolutionary War demonstrations and reenactments
• Horse-drawn hayrides
• Pumpkin picking, painting and decorating
• Sheep shearing demonstrations
• Children’s games, arts and crafts
• Lace making demonstrations
• Pen-turning workshops
• Story telling about the Witch of West Nyack
• A special visit and discussion with Ben Franklin
• Free mini golf

Visitors also enjoyed food, refreshments, music and raffle.

Provided by the St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information Department.

St. Thomas Aquinas Student-Athletes participated in the Keep Rockland Beautiful Event on Saturday helping to clean-up the local community in Sparkill. One of the many events of the school year, it’s focus is to clean the Sparkill Creek Watershed.  The Sparkill Creek Watershed is an important part of St. Thomas Aquinas College as it runs through our campus and along side Spartan Field. As student-athletes in the community, the Spartan athletes feel it’s their obligation to maintain the environmental cleanliness of the creek and the surrounding area.

The group of over fifty Spartan volunteers met at Christ Church Church with other members of the community where the work was divided.   The teams were split into work parties that covered different areas along the Sparkill Creek.  The area ranged from the pier in Piermont to Routes 303 and 340 (which border the STAC campus) and down to Northvale, NJ.  Each team was provided with gloves, garbage pickers, and trash bags.  They cleaned garbage and debris that had piled along the creek and the surrounding areas.  This benefitted the local water supply as it helped to eliminate pollution that would runoff into the stream.  The Spartan athletes covered many miles over a three-hour span.  Following the event, everyone gathered again for a Potluck Lunch provide by the members of the Church.  It was a great opportunity to get to know and interact with the members of the Sparkill Community.

Members of the men’s lacrosse team, men’s tennis team and men’s track and field team made up the work parties for the clean-up.

Provided by the St. Thomas Aquinas Sports Information Department.

OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. — When NYIT women’s lacrosse coach Kerri Handras saw 9-year-old Jacob Thompson’s story on Facebook, she could not resist getting NYIT’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee involved.

Handras, the SAAC advisor, had read that Thompson has Stage 4 high-risk neuroblastoma, and that the boy’s wish is to receive cards from well-wishers as he celebrates Christmas early. Doctors told the family in October that he may only have a month to live.

“As a mom myself, I thought it would be a meaningful thing for our SAAC to participate in,” Handras said.

Twenty-five SAAC members designed their own Christmas cards, which went in the mail on Thursday bound for Jacob in Maine.

Women’s lacrosse player Karie Znaniecki wrote: “Merry Christmas! Hoping that all of your wishes come true! Sending you lots of well wishes! We will win every game this season for you!”

Men’s soccer goalkeeper Andrew Pereira even included his personal cell phone number, inviting Jacob to call or FaceTime.

Others wishing to participate may send cards to Jacob at:

Jacob Thompson
c/o Maine Medical Center
22 Bramhall Street
Portland, ME 04102

The Division Avenue High School Girls Volleyball Team recently hosted their annual Dig Pink event. In an exhibition match against New Hyde Park, the girls aimed to raise awareness and fundraise for breast cancer research. Gifts baskets were raffled off and other items were sold to raise money for the Side-Out Foundation.

Through their efforts, the girls raised a total of $2,000. In addition, Kohl’s donated $500 to the Side-Out Foundation on behalf of the Division Avenue Volleyball Team. The Girls Volleyball team and Division Avenue High School would like to thank the community for all of their support.

 

Photo Captions:

1. The Division Avenue High School Girls Varsity Volleyball Team during their annual Dig Pink event.
2. The Division Avenue High School Girls JV Volleyball Team attended the Dig Pink event to raise money for breast cancer research.

 

Photos courtesy of the Levittown School District

In September, a freshman at Oceanside High School was hit by a car while walking to school. Our community has come together to raise money to support Lara and her family through her extensive surgeries and rehabilitation. With a donation from Dee’s Nursery in Oceanside, the Varsity Cheerleaders sold carnations on the day of pep rally.  We donated $100 to the “Lara Fund.” We wish her a speedy and easy recovery! #LaraStrong