EUGENE, Ore. – The Saturday before finals week is often spent locked in your room studying, or bunkered down in the library finishing that term paper. Over 60 Northwest Christian University athletes, however, sacrificed some of their time to help others this weekend in a pair of service projects.
While the NCU men’s and women’s basketball teams were putting on a Special Olympics clinic at the Morse Event Center, over 30 athletes from other sports were at Camp Harlow, helping out with the Foster and Adoptive Parent Association’s Annual Christmas Party.
The basketball clinic ran from 10:00 am until noon on Saturday and gave over 20 Special Olympians the opportunity to work one-on-one with NCU players on skill work, playing games and contests in an environment strictly established to maximize fun and excitement for the participants.
Sophomore women’s basketball player Keegan Clark said, “This event is a blast. As athletes we are so privileged to be able to do this every day. Sports are something that brings people together and its fun to be able to share my love of the game with the community.”
Sophomore Mitch Wilson from the men’s basketball team added, “I am blessed and honored to be a part of a program that comes out on a Saturday morning and spends time helping out with something like this. It’s a lot of fun.”
Five miles up the road, members of the men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball, and softball teams took time out of their finals studying to help out with a party organized for over 600 foster and adoptive children in Lane County. With over 1000 people coming to the event, athletes were given the opportunity to help out in a number of ways including parking assistance, gift wrapping, and hands-on help with kids.
Ally Mittleider, a sophomore on the NCU softball team said, “When we first heard we were going to be getting up early on the weekend before finals week, it was easy to imagine that none of us were extremely excited about it. While I was working in the teenager’s hang-out area, I had a lot of fun. A lot of kids came through and I got to engage with a ton of new people.
“I also got to sit in with the toddlers and play with them while their parents took the older children around the party. While I was there, there were so many different kinds of children but they all seemed to share one need: Love. I have a soft spot for children, especially those who don’t have control over their life situation. To be able to love on these kids and play with them was a great opportunity. They needed love but they also gave it right back.
“We do these types of events not only to show people what our school and our athletes are all about, but to show them God’s love for what might be the only time they get to see it. Those are the things that keep me going. No matter what, we are making an impact in people’s lives.”