BY TY PARKER
Texas Tech Athletics Communications | Special to TexasTech.com

The Texas Tech baseball team achieved its dream of playing in the College World Series this past summer, but last week they got to make the dreams of a few others come true as well.

Nearly 20 members of the Red Raider baseball squad, including head coach Tim Tadlock, visited Covenant Children’s Hospital last Wednesday to interact with hospitalized children suffering from a wide range of health conditions and illnesses.

The student-athletes surprised the children in their hospital rooms, presented them with autographed baseballs, and even took time to pose for pictures as they conversed about such topics as Spiderman and the Disney Channel.

The visit was the initial outing planned as part of the new Red Raider Reach program, created by Texas Tech men’s basketball player Clark Lammert, which is designed to create a consistent effort of outreach into the Lubbock community by all Texas Tech’s athletics programs.

“The Red Raider Reach program is something I thought of this summer,” said Lammert, who is entering his final season with the Red Raider basketball team. “I’m a senior and I only have a year left of having this platform, having these connections, and having the ability to start something like this. I approached our athletics director, Kirby Hocutt, with this opportunity. I think getting our student-athletes to come over here and hang out with the kids is going to be something that not only benefits the kids, but also benefits our student-athletes.”

Sophomore left-handed pitcher Dylan Dusek was among the student-athletes at the hospital and felt honored for the opportunity to engage with the children.

“We are always feeling privileged to come in and excite the kids, ask them some questions, talk to them, and give them a ball signed by our team,” Dusek said. “They probably haven’t talked to anyone all day except their parents or the nurse, so it means a lot to make their day because you know they are Texas Tech fans being out here in Lubbock.”

Sophomore right-hander Ryan Moseley, who graduated in 2013 from Lubbock Cooper High School, thoroughly enjoyed his first experience with the Red Raider Reach program and believes there are many lessons the student-athletes can take home with them as well.

I’ve learned to be thankful for what you have,” Mosley said. “There are other people in unfortunate situations. To see these kids and the way they fight helps you out in everyday life. They could be having a bad day, but when we come in, their faces light up. It means a lot for us to come out here and give back to them. That’s what we need to be doing and it feels really rewarding. – Ryan Moseley

The program, which aims to help Texas Tech student-athletes reach 2,000 hours of community service involvement in 2014-2015, will take two teams per month to Lubbock area hospitals. Spring sports such as baseball, softball and track and field will be involved during the fall semester while fall sports such as football, volleyball and soccer will make visits through the spring semester during their off-seasons. With Red Raider teams currently booked for visits through December, those involved in creating these opportunities are confident the momentum will carry over into the spring semester and be sustained on a yearly basis.

“Clark came to me with this new initiative and it’s awesome,” said Chloe Barnes, Texas Tech Athletics Director of Student-Athlete Affairs. “We have bookings with these visits with teams up until January. It is something we are starting now, but it is also something we hope to continue year after year.”

Barnes feels sometimes student-athletes may get so caught up in the daily grind that they forget how lucky they really are and hopes the Red Raider Reach gives them a sense of perspective.

“I hope they realize how truly blessed and fortunate they are to be a student-athlete at Texas Tech,” Barnes said.

Lammert knows this opportunity can do so much for not only the children and the student-athletes, but also the families who are here at the hospital as well. This initiative can serve the community in so many ways.

“Getting out here and trying to make a kids day, trying to have an impact on a kids life, trying to make them smile is the least we can all do,” Lammert said. “We are also able to talk to these parents, they’re so grateful, because these parents go through a lot having their kids in the hospital and showing them that Texas Tech cares about them. We can show them that they’re not alone in this process. It’s a hard process. Having these athletes come out really gives these kids hope and gives them hope to keep fighting.”

MANCHESTER, Conn. — On September 17th at Verplanck Elementary School, representatives from a handful of UConn athletics teams volunteered to participate in the Annual Husky Reach BBQ Kickoff. Men’s Basketball, Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving, Women’s Ice Hockey, and Women’s Track & Field were all represented at this fun-filled event. The student-athletes spent time getting to know the kids as well as playing sports with them outside on the elementary school’s field facilities.

Husky Reach, a partnership program with UConn Athletics and the SMB Charitable Foundation, touches the lives of local children and families by inspiring the kids to work hard and take their school work to heart in order to pursue a college education. This beneficial program gives the athletes the opportunity to read at local schools to children in grades K-5. Additionally, the athletes talk to the children about how hard they have to work in order to have success in their sports and in their classrooms. The Verplanck students also get to come to campus throughout the year and attend a basketball game.

Student-athletes who participate in Husky Reach get to contribute to Verplanck Elementary’s goal of one million minutes of reading as a student body. Free reading time and classroom reading assignments will contribute to this year-end goal in addition to the Husky Reach readings.

This event and the Husky Reach program is one of the many ways UConn Athletics is showing they care about the future by providing children with great role models to follow as well as an opportunity to become inspired by their success and achieve their own success in the future.

Source: http://www.uconnhuskies.com/genrel/091914aab.html

GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Guntersville High School athletics teams are giving back to the community that supports them with a new school program.

Wednesday is a typical day at Guntersville High School. It’s also the countdown to Friday, when it seems as if much of the city of Guntersville packs the stands to watch their Wildcats play football.

This year though, those same Wildcats and other student athletes are working – literally – to give back to their city, with a program aptly called Wildcats Work. “They’re basically able to go out into our community and do community service type projects, whether it’s picking up trash, or helping the horticulture department spread mulch, or whatever it is,” Guntersville High School Principal Roseanne Mabrey says.

Mabrey says in addition to giving back to the community that has been supporting them throughout the years, the students are also getting something for themselves. “It’s character building, we feel like,” Mabrey says.

The program started this year, and so far it’s a win – win, both in and out of the game. “This is a way they can actually give back to those who support them,” Mabrey says.

Since the beginning of the school year, the Wildcats Work program has helped with multiple projects throughout the city of Guntersville.

DOVER, Del.- Delaware State University’s track & field and cross country teams spent part of their weekend giving back to the community. The Hornet student-athletes and coaches served as volunteers for the 2014 Delaware Senior Olympics Race Walk/Track & Field events at DSU’s Alumni Stadium on Sunday.

Dozens of Delaware seniors took part in the event, which consisted of running, jumping and throwing competition.

“This is an excellent way for our student-athletes to give back to the community and the sport,” said Delaware State Head Women’s Track & Field Coach Krystal McKenzie. “The University has been involved with Senior Olympics for a number of years, and I’m pleased that our teams are continuing the tradition.”

Delaware Senior Olympics, a member organization of the National Senior Games Association, began with 127 athletes in 1991. In 2014, more than 1,400 Delaware seniors are expected to participate in its statewide events.

Source: http://www.wboc.com/story/26536378/hornets-lend-a-hand-to-delaware-senior-olympics

Cleaning alleys, picking up trash and crafting homemade cards were three ways more than 300 students gave back to the community Sunday during the third-annual Community Plunge.

The event, in conjunction with the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Community Engagement, is a day of service and volunteering. The Community Plunge works with several partner sites including the American Cancer Society, St. Joseph Orphanage, the Pro Foundation and more. Students registered to participate through Campus Link and chose their volunteering site day-of.

The Community Plunge began as a partnership between the Center for Community Engagement and UC’s Greek Life, said Fran Larkin, CCE program coordinator.

This year’s event kicked off at 10 a.m. on McMicken Commons, offering 22 different Cincinnati organizations and agencies to choose from.

The event’s Greek partnership helped secure the support of Total Quality Logistics, a local company that focuses on hiring UC graduates, and which also has strong ties to the university’s Greek community. TQL provided breakfast for the volunteers before they were sent out.

The Plunge packed eight charter buses with student volunteers, according to Luke New, fifth-year marketing student and director of community service for UC’s Interfraternity Council.

Cassandra Thorpe, director of student athlete development, said the event was open to everyone on campus, but that it had a heavy Greek presence.

“More involvement [of organizations] increases participation,” Thorpe said. “As more word gets out, it’s definitely going to grow.”

The Plunge’s partner organizations allowed students to serve in a variety of ways. A street beautification non-profit called Spring in Our Steps put 24 students to work, cleaning alleyways in Northside as a part of its Allies for Alleys campaign.

The organization’s co-founder, Christian Huelsman, said the goal of the campaign is to create positive public spaces by cleaning up all 25 of Northside’s alleys. Spring in Our Steps has also worked on alleys closer to UC, including Shorre and Colby alleys, Huelsman said. Sunday’s event followed a similar one held Saturday that was open to all members of the community.

Not all participants got their hands dirty. One group of about 25 students was sent to Grace Hospice in Norwood, where they were put to work making cards for residents and their families for holidays and birthdays.

Hannah Scully, the site coordinator from the Community Plunge for the hospice group, said service like writing cards is just as important as labor-intensive service.

“It’s something that a lot of people don’t think about,” Scully said. “Picking up trash feels more like a chore. People are a little more excited to do this.”

Shelby Duncan, volunteer coordinator for Grace Hospice, said she was thankful for the students’ work.

“People who stay in hospices are usually in a lot of pain,” Duncan said. “Knowing that people are thinking of them is really special to them.”

Source: http://www.newsrecord.org/driven-to-serve-students-give-back-through-assorted-activites/article_584880b0-3969-11e4-a406-0017a43b2370.html