Westhampton Beach, New York – December 12, 2013– Recognizing that community service helps promote responsibility and character in young people, TeamUp4Community has partnered with Metrx and NBTY Helping Hands on the “10,000 Hours L.I. Holiday Sports Challenge.” This interactive contest challenged our Long Island Athletes to complete a combined 10,000 hours of community service during the holiday season. Three prizes totaling $5,000 in sports grants for the student athletes will be awarded in December 2013.

“NBTY Helping Hands & Metrx are very proud to team up with the W20 Foundation in support of their Team Up 4 Community program,” said Jim Flaherty, Director, NBTY Helping Hands. “It’s an inspiring program that allows athletes to win in their local communities by taking action and volunteering to help those in need. “

Yesterday, the “10,000 Hours L.I. Holiday Challenge” successfully completed submissions, amounting to 19,597 hours of community service work performed by Long Island Athletes between September 1, 2013 to December 11, 2013. The value of their time served in the community is valued at over $142,078 given back in service. Team Up 4 Community nearly doubled its initial goal of completing 10,000 hours of community service work during this community service challenge.

The interactive contest, which ran from November 11, 2013 to December 13, 2013, also required participating student athletes between the ages of 6 – 24 to share a short video (up to 2 minutes in length) of their community service work or their team’s community service work that is posted on Team Up 4 Community’s YouTube Page. The top 10 videos with the highest number of views on YouTube is posted on the www.TeamUp4Community.org website for viewers to vote on. The voting will take place from December 13 to December 15. The winner will be announced on December 16th.

The video with the most votes will receive a $3,000 sports grant; the second-most voted video, a $1,500 sports grant; and the third-most voted video, a $500 sports grant. For official contest rules go to www.TeamUp4Community.org

“Similar to athletics, volunteering in your community helps build character and self-esteem in young people, while at the same time helping make a difference in the lives of others. I truly am impressed by all of the student athletes in Long Island who participated in the 10,000 Hours L.I. Holiday Sports Challenge by doing helpful work in the community – joining together to collectively make a difference,” said Steve Webb, Team Up 4 Community Founder and President. “We are hoping the digital component to this challenge goes viral and quickly reaches thousands of young Long Island athletes. The contest’s online viewing and voting components for friends and family will surely make the contest entertaining for all!”

One highlight of the “10,000 Hours L.I. Holiday Sports Challenge” included an entry from Brentwood, N.Y. student athletes. Brentwood student athletes teamed up and completed over 8,500 hours of community service work alone within their own community. JV and Varsity High School athletes participated in events such as feeding the homeless, cleaning up the courtyards at Brentwood high school, holding sports clinics twice a week for the local youth, as well as hosting coat, food and toy drives which is essential around the holiday season. In fact, the high school athletes even engaged a youth cheerleading group from the local elementary school in their efforts. Brentwood athletes truly demonstrated what the challenge was all about: through the act of sharing, their community service work provides a positive example that will INSPIRE others to take ACTION in their own communities as well, creating a ripple effect! The Brentwood athletes are still continuing this weekend in their community service efforts. On Saturday December 14, 2013 they are hosting a toy drive at the boys high school basketball game at 5:45 PM.

Retired New York Islanders forward Steve Webb created project Team Up 4 Community through his W20 Foundation. The foundation is dedicated to promoting social responsibility and community giveback through athletics. By highlighting different types of community service, young athletes will learn life skills that in turn increase their self-confidence, promote responsibility and independence, and help build strong character. Community services performed by youth strengthens their sense of civic engagement and community and helps them to achieve their educational, developmental and social goals.

Stony Brook, N.Y. – In the spirit of giving during the holiday season, Stony Brook Athletics put on its second annual Stuff-A-Bus event, taking up donations of new, unwrapped toys and then delivering them to pediatric patients at Stony Brook University’s Cancer Center.

On Dec. 11, Stony Brook student-athletes across all sports, administrators and Wolfie gathered the toys, stuffed the Wolfie Wagon, courtesy of Competition Automotive Group, and delivered them to the Cancer Center’s Christmas tree, located within pediatric oncology playroom.

After delivering the toys, the student-athletes and Wolfie interacted with young patients who were receiving treatments that day. Each patient went through the group of toys to find the one that excited them the most. Then the student-athletes made sure they enjoyed their new toys by playing with them.

“Interacting with the kids is great,” said sophomore Stephanie McFadden of the volleyball team. They’re awesome. With the hardships they are going through, they are so strong, and I think they are amazing. For me and my team, we love interacting with kids and we love being in the community. Coming out here makes us feel a part of the community and something bigger.”

The day was a joint coordination between Stony Brook Athletics, the Sunrise Fund and the Cancer Center, led by Athletics Manager of Marketing Chris Murray and Certified Child Life Specialists Lauren Sharaby, Paulette Walter and Michael Attard.

Stony Brook Athletics thanks all the fans, staff, student-athletes and Competition Automotive Group for donating to the cause.

Video of the event will be available on this Friday’s Get Your RED On Minute at GoSeawolves.org.

MERCY MEN’S LACROSSE COLLECTING TOYS FOR TOTS TONIGHT AND SATURDAY DEC. 21

DOBBS FERRY, N.Y. (Dec. 11, 2013) – Want to bring a smile to a child’s face for the holidays? The Mercy College men’s lacrosse team will be collecting Toys for Tots during basketball games on Wednesday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 21 for donation to The Children’s Village in Dobbs Ferry.

The Mavericks will have a table set up in the athletics lobby during both doubleheader basketball dates to collect any toys or money you are able to donate toward this great cause. Just stop by on your way into the Mercy Gymnasium, beginning with tonight’s women’s basketball game versus Salem International University at 6:00 p.m.

HAMDEN, Conn. – Members of the Southern Connecticut State University gymnastics team spent time over the weekend volunteering at a local soup kitchen. The group assisted with meal preparation for the area needy as well as cleanup of the venue.

This event is just one example of many community outreach events that SCSU student-athletes will take part in as part of the Tim Greer Insurance Agency Community Service Cup.

Initiated in September, 2008, the ‘Community Service Cup’ program provides a competitive format that allows student-athletes to gain an enriched experience through engagement with the on-campus and local communities by supporting ventures of traditional citizens, campus community members and peer students and student-athletes. SCSU student-athletes volunteered more than 3,000 hours of their time to numerous outreach efforts, both on-campus and in Greater New Haven, during the 2012-13 academic year.

Source: http://www.southernctowls.com/news/2013/12/10/GEN_1210132605.aspx

RICHMOND, Ky. – Eastern Kentucky University student-athletes volunteered for the Salvation Army last week at Richmond Centre.

The student-athletes volunteered their time by ringing the bell for the Salvation Army outside JC Penney on Wednesday, Dec. 4.

Student-athletes from numerous teams participated in the event.