FOREST, Va. --- ODAC schools and student-athletes continued their strong history of giving back as league members united to help local charities and organizations by conducting a conference-wide food drive. The initiative was sponsored by the ODAC's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and carried out by each institution's SAAC.
The SAAC food drive, which concluded at the end of November, continues to draw heavy participation throughout the conference. Combined, ODAC members collected more than 19,000 non-perishable food items with an additional $900 in monetary donations to support local charities and aid organizations. For the second year running, Bridgewater College topped the charts by collecting more than 6,100 items.
Hollins University continued its initiative of giving back during the Thanksgiving holiday to local families. Hollins raised more than $500 and used those funds to purchase $50 gift cards to Kroger and presented them to 10 families to help with holiday food costs.
"I think win or lose, every team knows that it is a good cause," explained Amanda Nesselroot, a senior on the Bridgewater women's swimming team. "Community involvment is a huge aspect of Bridgewater, so this is our opportunity to give back to the community after what they've given to us."
Classmate and men's swimmer Ben Dillon added that "it is really important to participate in this because there is a need that needs to be met and these people need our support." He further noted that "we're a group of people that can always come together and we do that commonly in competition and getting goals completed."
While not during the food drive window, Guilford College also contributed to local humanitarian efforts through its annual Gate City Soup Bowl football game against cross-town rival Greensboro College. A total of 14,392 items were collected from that contest alone.
SAAC will continue its efforts into the new semester following the turn of the calendar. More information will be announced as it becomes available.
The local organizations where the ODAC institutions donated their collections are listed below:
- Blue Ridge Area Food Bank
- Bright Futures
- FACES
- Foodbanks of Southeastern Virginia
- Hanover Safe Place
- University of Lynchburg Food Pantry
- Lynchburg Daily Bread
- Park View Community Mission
- Rockbridge Area Relief