Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Bulldogs Do Community Service Work
7/15/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
July 15, 2005
Fresno State student-athletes keep busy with their studies, practices, games and college life in general. In addition to their already hectic schedules, they volunteer for many organizations and give their time to help out the community.
Last year alone, Bulldog student-athletes combined for a total number of 3,776 hours of community service. Among the 17 athletic teams, there were over 900 individual efforts by the athletes to help out others in need.
"The athletic department is very proud of our student-athletes' commitment to our community, as evidenced by their 3,776 hours they've volunteered this past year. We're very fortunate to have student-athletes and coaches who are so dedicated to our community. We look forward to continuing this fine tradition of community service work," said Desiree Reed-Francois, Associate A.D./ Compliance and Student-Athlete Services/ SWA.
A new program that student-athletes have quickly made a difference in is the One by One Leadership Read Fresno book drive. This program is designed to promote literacy awareness so each child can read at grade level by the end of the third grade. The student-athletes collected 1,170 books in the program's inaugural Read Fresno drive this year. This was accomplished by collecting donations of books at last year's Fresno State-Hawai'i football game and two men's and women's basketball games last December.
Another popular event is the "Big Heroes/ Little Heroes" program, which brings together a group of student-athletes, the Rotary Club and the Children's Hospital of Central California. This program unites the Fresno State student-athletes with ill children from the hospital. The participants spend time together throughout the year at various events where they are able to get to know each other and stay in contact during the athletes' years at Fresno State.
"It's a real goodwill program that helps everyone all around. The kids idolize our athletes and Fresno State. It's a wonderful opportunity for them to become friends," said Holly Bond, an administrative support coordinator for the Fresno State Athletics Department.
The coaching staffs also play a big role in implementing the involvement in such community service events. They too find the time to not only schedule such activities but to participate in them as well.
"The coaches have gotten involved in all the activities and they should receive kudos for all of their support," said Bob Shook, Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Services at Fresno State.
One favorite community service among all the student-athletes is Kid's Day, an endeavor in which Fresno State, The Fresno Bee and Children's Hospital of Central California work together to raise money for the hospital. The Fresno Bee prints the special edition Kid's Day newspapers once a year and sells them for one dollar, with all proceeds going to Children's Hospital of Central California. Fresno State coaches and student-athletes volunteer their mornings along with others in the community to sell the newspapers in literally the midst of morning traffic. With a money apron around their waist and a stack of papers in one hand, members of Fresno State teams are out there trying to make a difference for the children in their community.
Other activities in which student-athletes have participated include: Hinds Hospice Rummage Sale, Coats for Kids project, the Well Community Church Adopt-A-Family, Future Bulldogs Showcase Camp, Salvation Army, Len Ross Junior Tournament, Rotary Club Speaking, Community Service Track and Field Camps, Clovis Street Vault and Farmers Market, 40th Anniversary of the Fresno Mall, Youth for Christ, RATA Prom, She-So Expo, Craft Croft Center, Fresno Rescue Mission, Northside Christian Church, Cal-Nevada Relays, Light the Night Walk, Buddy Systems, Race foe the Cure, Children's Hospital Visits, Canned Food Drive, Day at the Zoo, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Center, FFA Field Day, BOK Ranch, Therapeutic Riding Center, Soup Carnival, Demo Day, Save Mart Shootout, Marjorie Mason Center Domestic Violence Awareness, Read at the Library, Red Ribbon Week and numerous sports clinics.
