UAlbany Student-Athletes Support Captial Region Families During the Holidays

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – University at Albany student-athletes been participating in the Albany County Department for Children, Youth and Families Adopt-A-Family program during the holiday season. Members of all nineteen UAlbany intercollegiate athletic men's and women's teams raised money and bought gifts for sponsored families as a part of the project, sponsored by the school's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

“It’s great to be able to put the UAlbany name out in the community in such a positive way,” said Kevin Richards, an all-conference center on the football team's offensive line. “It’s great to see how happy it makes the family to have us bring them the gifts. The mom was very appreciative and let us know how much it meant to her.”

UAlbany’s athletic department and its student-athletes have been associated with the Adopt-A-Family project for several years. Through the project, all money is raised and donated by the athletic teams. Representatives from each team then go out, purchase the items and wrap them. A few representatives from each team then go to the family’s homes to deliver the gifts before Christmas. SAAC members also participated in Salvation Army bell ringing at local shopping centers throughout the Capital Region during the holiday season.

“Our student-athletes were given a wonderful opportunity to make a difference for someone else,” said UAlbany women’s lacrosse coach Lindsey Hart, whose team was able to provide their adopted family with clothing, toys and a new bicycle. “It’s great to see them come together and get really excited about supporting others. Every year our team looks forward to being involved with this program.”

SAAC, which is made up of at least two representatives of each UAlbany athletic team, helps to coordinate several community service activities each semester. Vice President and Director of Athletics Lee McElroy has made community service one of the athletic department's top initiatives since he arrived on campus more than eight years ago.