HS SPORTS: Annual canned food drive has collected close to 60,000 cans over the past 17 years.

Before the big Buffalo Bills’ game on Sunday, before the abundance of good food, good drink and good friends, relaxing on a comfortable couch, local residents are asked to consider the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves and set aside some canned food perishables for the annual “Lockport Athletes Fight Against Hunger” drive.

One of the longest-running, annual scholastic canned food drives in Western New York, Athletes Against Hunger was initiated close to two decades ago by retired LHS athletics director Patrick M. Burke.

Between 12:30 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, more than 300 LHS student-athletes participating in fall sports will scatter throughout the city and Town of Lockport, knocking on doors, collecting canned goods to help stock our local community soup kitchens.

“We have an outstanding group of students in the LHS athletic program. I think a project like this gives us one more reason to be proud of them,” Sukdolak said.

“We expect a great turnout of students to assist us on Sunday in this extremely worthwhile endeavor. With the collecting power of that many students, we can’t wait to see the results on Sunday night.”

Sukdolak will meet with LHS student-athletes at LHS at noon on Sunday to go over assignments.

“A special thank you to Conjerti Moving and Storage for helping with the storage and transport of the food collected to the local soup kitchens,” Sukdolak said.

“The Lockport High School coaching staff, student-athletes and I feel very fortunate to be able to give something back to the community that supports us so well. We plan to cover as many city streets and town developments as possible. We encourage all members of the Lockport community to help us stock the shelves of our local soup kitchens by making a donation of a canned food on Sunday.”

Since the project began 17 years ago, LHS Athletes Fight Against Hunger has collected close to 60,000 cans.

Anyone who would like to make a large donation is welcome to drop off cans at the truck behind LHS on Lincoln Avenue between noon and 2 p.m.

BY JOHN D’ONOFRIO john.donofrio@lockportjournal.com

Source: http://www.lockportjournal.com/sports/local_sports/lhs-athletes-fight-against-hunger-is-sunday/article_38a42bd8-132a-5d7d-8495-242bb29a4519.html

Florida State University and Leon County teamed up to send thousands of care packages to Hurricane Irma victims in South Florida, thanks to donations from local residents and businesses.

On Friday morning, more than 250 FSU students and 100 staff volunteers assembled the donated items into care packages at the Tucker Civic Center.

“This is what Florida State’s about,” said President John Thrasher. “We talk about family a lot at Florida State. When you see things like this, it really shows that the kids believe in the university and its values, and they’re willing to participate and give back.”

Students from FSU athletics teams and Greek and multicultural organizations turned out to help the massive effort, making about 5,000 nonperishable food care packages and 2,000 bags of personal hygiene items.

Bryana Beckford, a junior chemical engineering major from Miami, heard about the event through fellow members of the Theta Nu Xi multicultural sorority. Hurricane Irma knocked out power and brought down some fences, but her family in Miami is safe and had no major damage.

“Being from Miami I’m familiar with hurricanes and the impact they have,” Beckford said. “This was a great opportunity to give back.”

Junior track and field student-athlete Conor McClain remembers when Hurricane Sandy hit his home state of New Jersey and thought it was important to come out and help the relief effort.

“It’s important that people step up and do the most that they can for their fellow humans, especially those in the state of Florida,” said McClain, who is majoring in environment and society.

State University System Chancellor Marshall Criser III also stopped by Friday morning to assist in packing items. He was touched by how students from different groups and organizations came together to work as one team to take care of others.

“I think it speaks to what Florida State is doing even though they’re here in North Florida and the storm has passed us,” Criser said. “Someone else today is still in a shelter and not back in their home. They will need these supplies — they will be a bright light for someone very soon. It’s a fantastic effort, and I applaud all of them for doing it.”

FSU staff members and student volunteers collected food, beverages and personal hygiene products, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste and soap, during a donation drive Thursday afternoon at the Tucker Center.

Community members, local hotels and dentists contributed items, as well as Coca-Cola Bottling Co. United Inc., Seminole Dining and Sodexo. U-Haul and Ace Hardware donated boxes, Publix contributed bags and Esposito’s donated fans, tarps and propane. Donations and assistance also came from Spectra/Tucker Center, the UPS Store and FSU Bookstore. Leon County and the Salvation Army joined FSU in coordinating the effort.

Source: http://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2017/09/15/fsu-students-community-send-hurricane-irma-relief-supplies-south-florida/671578001/

FLUSHING MEADOWS, N.Y. – On Friday, Sept. 8, the Queens College men’s tennis team once again had the amazing opportunity of helping the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Foundation “Serving up Dreams” with its annual fundraiser at the US Open Tennis Championships.

During the event, donors get to compete with past tennis champions. It is an experience of a lifetime, and all proceeds of the event supports the USTA Foundation’s mission of bringing tennis and education together to change lives. The Knights helped with court monitoring, supplying the players with refreshments and making sure everything ran smoothly throughout the day.

“We’d like to thank the USTA, Karen Ford and Maiysha Warren for letting the Queens College men’s tennis team be a part of the ‘Serving Up Dreams’ foundation,” said Queens head coach Somadi Druker.

Some of the tennis legends donating their time to this foundation were Lindsay Davenport, Kim Clijsters, Michael Chang, Nick Bollettieri and many more.

The USTA Foundation is an entity that provides grants and scholarships through tennis. This event helps the foundation to change underserved youth and people with disabilities, striving for excellence to improve academics. Studies have shown that youth who play tennis are healthier and less prone to risky behaviors like binge drinking and cigarette smoking. They are also less likely to be overweight or at-risk for being overweight.

Overall, the foundation raises money to support these life-changing programs through donations and special events like the one the Queens College men were a part of. This foundation is making a difference. To date, it has awarded more than $19 million in grants and scholarships to more than 2017 programs, benefitting thousands of children and adults though tennis, educational and health curricula.

The Locust Valley High School varsity boys soccer team has joined with seniors Emily Moran and Will Moran to collect used soccer gear for children in Africa. Items were collected at a home game against Friends Academy on Sept. 12 and in the high school throughout that week. The Falcons won that game, 1-0, and received many donations.

Emily and Will have been spearheading this effort for the past four years for the charity Kick It to Cameroon, which donates used soccer equipment to children in Africa. The boys soccer team started participating last year.

Varsity coach Joseph Lee said his team enjoys helping others and knowing that they can share their love of soccer with children who are less fortunate.

“The gear that is donated will provide hours of joy for the children that benefit from this amazing event,” he said.

Donations have come in from students, athletes, faculty and community members. Items include cleats, soccer balls, soccer socks, jerseys, shin guards, shorts and cones.

Photo Caption: SoccerFundraiser: The Locust Valley High School varsity boys soccer team collected used soccer equipment for children in Africa.

Photo courtesy of the Locust Valley Central School District

The future Dryden High School soccer stars took the field Saturday morning, many for the first time, during the opening day of the Dryden Recreation Department’s Sertoma Soccer program.

The current Dryden High School soccer stars were also there, showcasing how a pipeline and program comes to be with the experienced passing the torch to the inexperienced, no matter how young.

It also showcases what we should all be aspiring to be as we grow older and set roots in a community, whether they be temporary or permanent. I was there at 8 a.m. on a Saturday not to work and therefore get paid but to volunteer my time

(Though when the opportunity arises, take it. See pg. 9 for a photo gallery from the youngest of the squadron learning the beautiful game.)

Granted, all I did was hang out a little and fill a small void by assisting with registrations, questions and whatever else popped up during an always chaotic morning. The high schoolers are the ones in this case who were the real volunteers and “life winners.” The varsity programs have done this for years upon years, and it’s almost entirely student led. Boys varsity coach Laszlo Engel and girls varsity coach Nichole Keator were there Saturday morning, but it was more in an overview role. It was their student-athletes who ran clinics, working one-on-one with children ranging in age from 4 to 12 on such aspects as dribbling, touching, and planting and following.

Some of the players on the girls varsity team also serve as coaches for teams, something they’ve continued for a few years.

In this specific instance, the lessons instilled upon them every Saturday morning – they’ll continue as referees for games and coaches – go farther in life than a soccer career ever could. Many of these students will go on to be parents, whether it be in five years or 15. Many will go on to coach soccer at some level, from youth (like this league) to varsity or even college.

Selfishly, it’s a good learning experience for life.

Unselfishly, it’s how our communities should run. And we need to put a sharper focus on that. The Finger Lakes Community Newspapers – the parent that covers the Dryden Courier as well as the Groton Independent, Lansing Ledger, Newfield News, Spencer Random Harvest, Candor Chronicle, Trumansburg Free Press, Ovid Gazette and Interlaken Review – is objective with its push for volunteerism when we publish short briefs about not-for-profits asking for help or fundraisers looking for money.

I can be subjective and say Dryden could use even more of it.

That’s not to say Drydenites don’t have a lot of volunteers doing great things. It’s easy to recall at the moment that it was volunteer hands that built the nice, new colorful playground at Montgomery Park. And that work continues still. But as time progresses, it becomes easy to forget these little things as first-hand experience and stories become lost to lore.

There’s so much that was started by volunteers. As we all re-learned last autumn, the Dryden Recreation Department was started by volunteers. Now it’s too big and complicated, in many people’s opinion, to be run via free help.

It could still use it, though. Just like the school could, the sports boosters could, the drama club boosters could, the café could, the various committees that plan our events could. Yes, our tax dollars are what pay for these people’s salaries to do this work (at least in some cases). But in many instances, it’s just too much work for the amount of people hired for it. Think of your own job: with downsizing and such, have more responsibilities been dropped on you?

The little things we all collectively do to contribute means there’s more we can all enjoy. Maybe you’re one of those people who wake up, go to work, come home and spend night after night with your social media accounts and streaming services.

So be it.

But lest not forget, every time you drive out onto that road you’re using a town entity. You’re participating in a community. You could be doing at least a little something to make it nicer, to save tax dollars, to make society better.

The list of those who volunteer is of course lengthy. I personally know at least a handful who have continued in school volunteer work long after their children have graduated or who volunteer in multiple areas of town, draining their free time even though they enjoy the work.

Not to be that person who says it, but … these volunteers we know and love are getting older. That’s why last month a small group of 20-something professionals convened at the Dryden Hotel for a meeting of “K2,” an initiative set out by the Kiwanis Club of Dryden to get younger volunteers involved. The group is part professional networking and part volunteer work with a possible focus of getting in the schools and forming an annual project to fill a need.

We always talk about volunteering as something that high schoolers need to do to get into a good college, get a good education, get a good job and therefore live a solid life. We go on to volunteer in college to a degree and then it gets lost in starting a profession, finding a soul mate and starting a family.

Consider donating at least a few hours of your time even once a month to something you’re passionate about and a group that could use the help. Committees are always looking for new people and new ideas, such as the Dryden Lake Festival committee. If you’re into event planning, it’s perfect. Enjoy sports? Help out with the sports boosters or Dryden Rec. More of a drama fiend? There’s a group for that.