While organizing items and house repair doesn’t sound glamorous, these services can mean a lot to families in need in Rock Hill.
On March 1, the Winthrop Student Athlete Assistant Council teamed up with Habitat for Humanity. Over 40 student athletes worked in three different areas in Rock Hill, building homes, repairing and organizing to help give back to the community. Winthrop Compliance and Student Services Coordinator, Valerie Dunlap, commented that the event allowed students to help impact people who live in Rock Hill.
“Winthrop Athletics stresses the importance of giving back, as we are incredibly fortunate to receive the support from so many community members and service helps one grow as a person,” unlap said.
Winthrop women’s volleyball player and junior art history major Jace Kleffner, along with other athletes, signed up through EagleImpact. She has experience from other volunteer opportunities.
“I have participated in Adopt a Highway, where myself and two others walked a stretch of highway and picked up trash. I am also a trainee for the American Red Cross on the Disaster Action Team, and we are the second response in the case of a fire,” Kleffner said.
Winthrop track and field athlete and junior exercise science major Colby Thorn noted the importance of giving athletes the chance to give back to the community.
“I believe that it is always important to give back to the community no matter who you are, but especially as athletes since we are looked up to by many people, especially younger kids. We need to be an example and I think it is great to show people that we really care about them and that we are more than just an athlete,” Thorn said.
The volunteers were scheduled in three different areas during the event. One group was focused on home construction, one was focused on a home repair project and the last group was organizing inventory at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Rock Hill, near Winthrop.
Kleffner and Thorn were in the group that helped in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, organizing items for purchase and cleaning up items for the store’s inventory.
“My teammate and I organized the CDs and DVD movies and then we went and organized the book section. We also dusted the lamps and furniture,” Kleffner said.
Dunlap also confirmed that after the event, the SAAC will have more events later this semester for students to volunteer in and give back to Rock Hill while attending Winthrop University.
“During the remainder of the semester, Winthrop student athletes will read to students at Rosewood Elementary, host a bone marrow donor registration drive in conjunction with Project Life Movement, collect supplies for Safe Passage and volunteer at the annual Eagle Club Scholarship Auction,”Dunlap said.
