Syracuse Student-Athletes Take Active Role in Community Service
5/27/2005 12:21:50 PM | Men's Basketball
Community Service Photo Gallery
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – From promoting literacy and education to serving the less fortunate, Orange student-athletes have been actively involved in more than 100 service projects throughout the Syracuse area. In 2004-05 alone, more than 1,500 volunteers spent more than 5,000 man-hours helping various organizations throughout the community as part of the ‘Cuse Cares Program. Supported by Citizens Bank – New York, 'Cuse Cares is the community outreach program for student-athletes at Syracuse University. SU’s student-athletes have been recognized with SU’s Chancellor’s Award for Public Service in each of the past eight years for their volunteer efforts in the community.
All 21 of Syracuse’s varsity sports, in addition to the cheerleading squad, the dance team and Otto, participated in a total of 120 community service projects during the past academic year as part of the ‘CUSE Cares Community Outreach Program. The largest of these events was Dollar Day at the Dome on October 9 when 180 student-athletes helped raise money for the United Way. The annual event raised $7,500, the second-most since the program started in 1998. The Orange also stepped up when called upon to raise money for the Red Cross Tsunami Disaster Relief Fund. Forty-seven student-athletes collected $34,000 in donations prior to the men’s basketball game versus Seton Hall.
In addition to raising money, Orange student-athletes volunteer their time to interact with many different organizations. Sixty student-athletes volunteered at a voter registration drive in November, while the men’s basketball, cheerleading and dance teams participated at the Cuse Carnival for Casey’s Place sponsored by Family Capped, Inc. in October. Other local organizations the Orange assisted this year included "Shooting for A’s," an academic enrichment program which features opportunities to participate in group sports and meet student-athletes, participation in the American Heart Association’s 21st Annual Heart Walk, a community cleanup in celebration of Earth Day and a soccer camp in conjunction with Just for Kicks, a nonprofit soccer program for youth with developmental disabilities. The Student-Athlete Council also sponsored a trip to the Nottingham Retirement Center where the student-athletes spent time with the residents.
Several of the Syracuse programs have taken various causes as their own. The softball team volunteered weekly at The Samaritan Center, serving food at the center’s soup kitchen. The women’s basketball squad participated in the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk, raising more than $1,500 for cancer research. The men’s rowing team helped out at Syracuse elementary schools with dinners to benefit the school community and promote diversity, while the men’s basketball team participated in a luncheon and silent auction that raised a record amount of money for the Make*A*Wish Foundation.
The football team participated in a number of events. Players signed autographs and assisted at "Shoot For The Cure," a charity basketball shootout where all proceeds went to ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease Foundation. The program featured door prizes, prizes for the best shooters and the grand prize, an autographed basketball. The football squad also participated in a Celebrity Read-In at Lyncourt School with Other celebrity readers included local politicians, television and radio personalities and members of local police and fire departments. Justin Outten and Julian Pollard read Mr. Peabody’s Apples to two fifth grade classes. Football and men’s basketball teamed up to help at the 2005 Tri Valley YMCA Dreams Can Come True Youth Basketball Tournament in Oneida, N.Y. The SU athletes spent time interacting with the participants at a meet and greet. They posed for photos and signed numerous autographs at the tournament.
In 2004-05, the entire athletic department teamed with Verizon to champion the cause of literacy. The Verizon Superpages Reads with Syracuse University Athletics program launched October 15 with a series of assemblies at Syracuse City School District elementary schools. The first day included SU student-athletes visiting Delaware Elementary School, Meachem Elementary School and McKinley-Brighton Elementary. In total, Orange student-athletes, dance team, cheerleaders and Otto visited 14 schools as part of the program with the goal of making reading a bigger part of the kids’ lives. The program culminated in November when the top readers in each school had the opportunity to attend a men’s basketball practice (including autograph and photo sessions), free tickets to a men’s and women’s basketball game and recognition on the basketball court during halftime at a men’s game for their outstanding achievement.
The Orange’s work in the community has not gone unnoticed. In each of the last eight years Syracuse University student-athletes have received a Chancellor's Award for Public Service. Community service leadership awards are given annually to Syracuse University students and student organizations that exemplify the highest ideal of sustained, quality service to the Syracuse community.
The Syracuse community has shown tremendous support for the Orange athletic programs and the student-athletes. Active involvement in the community is one way to not only show how much that support is appreciated, but also to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.
Citizens Bank, currently doing business in New York under the Charter One Bank name, invests in and is a leader in the communities it serves.
