Fourteen Texas Tech student-athletes from several women’s sports visited Haiti recently as part of missionary outreach.

Traditionally, our Texas Tech coverage on Wreck ‘Em Red features sports news, however, the athletes and coaches we cover are humans, first. For Texas Tech student-athletes, the trip profiled in this article will likely impact their lives far beyond their time at Tech, so it’s important to share.

Student-athletes are ambassadors for not only their respective universities, and conferences, but for their countries, as well. While missionary and volunteer outreach isn’t uncommon, it’s not often you hear about groups of female student-athletes partaking in international outreach.

Led by Brandi Cantrell, the Women’s Athletic Chaplain, student-athletes from women’s soccer, basketball, and volleyball, had the opportunity to travel to Haiti as part of a one week missionary trip as part of FCA, the Fellowship for Christian Athletes.

Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the Northern Hemisphere, and since the devastating earthquake, conditions have only worsened. The footage shows unimaginable conditions, and the homes villagers live in looked like they were constructed with recycled materials.

This is why outreach is so vital.

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Women’s volleyball player Sarah Redding said that part of their work included painting people’s homes, where villagers would select colors. Throughout the trip, Redding and other athletes had the opportunity to bond with villagers, but held special bonds with the children.

“I’m from America… the way I view the world is so different from the way they view it.” Said soccer player Rebekah O’Brien. “But we all came together and played this one sport, and we all knew how to play.” O’Brien was one of eleven soccer players who made the trip, and the video provided by Texas Tech TV shows the children, and student-athletes bonding over the sport.

“This trip to Haiti has truly transformed my life in so many ways,” said soccer player Gabbie Puente.

I spoke with James Kitchen of FCA Nevada to provide readers more clarity on what the organization does.

Q: What is FCA?

A: FCA is the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and has been in operation for over 60 years. FCA seeks to serve the community for the Gospel through the influence of Athletes and Coaches.
Q: Are trips like these common, and how are they funded?

A: FCA in the States is divided into local regions e.g. The Western Region contains Hawaii, California and Nevada. Each one of these regions is responsible for a super region that is a global area. Through the influence of athletes and coaches regions may take college, highs school or sometimes pro athletes on missions trips to lead camps and clinics to serve and inspire international communities. All areas of FCA are self funded so healthy partnership with local businesses, individuals, churches and corporations are necessary.

FCA is a non profit organization. So a trip such as the one taken by Texas Tech Athletes may have been sponsored by any one of the above or by a combination of them all.
Q: What do you hope people can take away from stories like this, about FCA, and its work?

A: As a State Director for FCA it is my hope that people take away HOPE from such stories. We are unapologetic in that all we do we do so for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet we want people to know that they are loved before they know what we know. FCA believes in serving others and earning the right to share our faith. There is nothing like the medium of sport to bring individuals, families and communities together, and it is through this coming together that it is our HOPE to present the encouragement to coaches and athletes that they are so greatly loved by the God who turns the world each day.
“I am so proud of our student athletes. Their energy, attitude and effort the whole week was beyond expectation,” Cantrell said in the official press release. “I think it speaks to the quality and high character of the student athletes that we have at Tech. They loved and served so well in situations and circumstances that are sometimes difficult, and out of their comfort zones.”

Source: https://wreckemred.com/2017/06/15/texas-tech-student-athletes-volunteer-in-haiti/

Through a partnership with a local Walgreens, Deer Park’s John F. Kennedy Intermediate School held its own Red Nose Day event on June 1, with students dressing up in clown noses and raising a total of $575 to help alleviate child poverty in 50 states and more than 25 countries.
“Walgreen store manager Mike Cusmano was a great support, and praised us for being well organized and energized over the fundraiser,” said Principal Susan Bonner.

DSC_0001, DSC_0007, DSC_0013: John F. Kennedy Intermediate School’s Red Nose Day, in partnership with Walgreens, raised $575 to help alleviate child poverty.

Photos courtesy of the Deer Park School District

Staff, students and community members of Connetquot Central School District’s Ronkonkoma Middle School recently came together for two fundraising events to benefit individuals diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The Ronkonkoma Middle School Honor Society hosted an ALS-Awareness car wash with support from classmates, faculty and local residents. Proceeds from this event were donated to Ride for Life, an organization started by Chris Pendergast, a retired teacher living with ALS for more than 24 years.

“This organization has been a tremendous supporter of the cause over the years and has raised over $7 million,” explained Ronkonkoma Middle School Principal Charles Morea. “Their most recent effort involved participants – including Mr. Pendergast – completing a trip in their wheelchairs from Yankee Stadium to Washington, D.C. in order to raise ALS awareness and funding.”

Additionally, RMS students and staff participated in a “Ramp Shot” tournament in the school gymnasium, which raised $1,900 toward ALS research and included a generous $500 donation from Mittan Chathan and Ankita Chathan, owners of a local 7-Eleven store.

Thanks to the efforts of Ronkonkoma Middle School physical education teacher Justin Hertz and other staff members, 82 students participated in the event. The winners received a “Ramp Shot” game to take home for themselves as well as gift cards to Applebees, which were donated by school guidance counselor Christine Valente and the RMS Honor Society. The winners will also have their names placed on a trophy created by technology teacher Nate Giagios.

Photo Caption: Ronkonkoma Middle School students recently participated in a “Ramp Shot” tournament in the school gymnasium which raised $1,900 toward ALS research and included a generous $500 donation from Mittan Chathan and Ankita Chathan, owners of a local 7-Eleven store.

Photos courtesy of the Connetquot Central School District/Joe Maniaci

At its final meeting of the school year, the Carle Place School District Board of Education recognized three students at Cherry Lane Elementary School for their outstanding fundraising efforts to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
The students raised the funds as part of their involvement in the Cherry Lane Walk for a Cure program, which the school has participated in for 22 years. This year, Cherry Lane raised $4,500. Kindergartner Gabriella Penn, first-grader Aaron Daniel and second-grader Vincent Iadevaia raised $210, $150 and $110, respectively, and were honored for being the top fundraisers in their grades.

Photo Caption: Cherry Lane Elementary School kindergartner Gabriella Penn was honored for being the top fundraiser at the school for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Photo courtesy of Carle Place School District

The Elwood-John H. Glenn High School varsity girls lacrosse team recently partnered with the Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation to clean up Crab Meadow Beach in Northport.

The student-athletes worked together and collected a record 97 pounds of garbage from the beach and surrounding area in an effort to help the environment.

“They did an excellent job,” said coach Janine Bright. “They were proud to be a part of it.”

Photo Captions:

Members of the Elwood-John H. Glenn High School varsity girls lacrosse team helped the environment by doing a beach cleanup in Northport.

Photos courtesy of the Elwood Union Free School District