North Carolina State University Athletics
Student-Athletes Deliver Halloween Through Books (10/31/08)
10/31/2008 12:00:00 AM | Pack Athletics
RALEIGH, N.C. This Halloween, 13
The project’s goal is to promote literacy throughout the Triangle. The community outreach project currently includes 11 Wake County middle schools and three non-profit groups. The
The student-athletes participated in a trick-or-treat event, walking with the residents from classroom to classroom and assisting them in filling their bags with Halloween treats. Some student-athletes wheeled residents from room to room and everyone had a wonderful time. Afterwards, the student-athletes selected books from the eight large boxes they donated to the facility and read to the Tammy Lynn students.
Wolfpack football player Willie Young captivated his audience with a rousing rendition of “It Looked Like Spilt Milk” by Charles Shaw. After reading, Willie said: “I really felt privileged to come out and participate in this Halloween event. It was fun reading to the kids because they were so interactive. For me personally, I love to work with kids. If there is any way for me to contribute back to the community, being a leader or stand up as a role model, then I want to do it. I never really experienced a Halloween like this. It's a nice way for them to stay inside and out of any kind of trouble. The group I was reading to were 4-year-olds. I am used to talking to high school group or something like that. So this was completely different from what I am used to. It was exciting to see their reactions and I was impressed to hear some of the things they said. I think my smile threw them off a little bit. They were expecting me to be big and mean, and there I was sitting and smiling with them. I seemed to have caught them off guard a little bit.”
Brenda Stanton, a member of the women's track and field team, said “Today was exciting. I really liked seeing the kids so happy and it made me happy to see their excitement toward reading. I think all the athletes and everyone who participated really enjoyed the event.”
Audi Augustin, football: “What more can you ask for, spending time with kids on Halloween? Myself, I didn't enjoy Halloween very much. I was a little bit of a scaredy cat. So being able to put a smile on their face, and let them be kids for a day, was great to be a part of. It's important for anybody to come to a center like this, to interact with the kids and get to know them. It puts things in perspective in different ways.”
Samantha Bullard, rifle team: “I have already talked to some of the staff here about coming back here and volunteering when I have some time. Halloween has been a huge part of my family forever, and trick or treating was a big part of my childhood. I haven't done it in a while, so today was fun because I walked around the whole time saying 'Trick or Treat' for more than an hour. The kids seemed to be having a great time.”
Kat Seigert, rifle team: “I love reading to children in general. I used to do it for elementary school kids all the time. Reading to this group was so much more fun, because you could see their faces light up when you do the sound effects. They looked so much more happy. Knowing this was their chance to experience Halloween, which is my absolute favorite holiday, should always be special for kids, no matter where they are. For me, it was worth getting up early to participate in this.”
Brandalyn Furr, track and field: “I think today was great. Most of us look at Halloween as a time to be silly and go out with our friends. I think we take being able to do that for granted. It's such a blessing to come here and be a part of this. I know when I was that age, to be able to see anyone who is a college student-athlete would have been very cool. And I think we got as much out of it as they did. As college students, we kind of get in our little bubble and you don't remember there are people out there that live completely different lives than we do.”
Erika Alpeter, track and field: “I have a lot of respect for the people who work here. Just during the little time we were here, there were kids who were crying and had to be fed and changed. It was kind of overwhelming, but they took care of everything right away. I wish I was half as awesome as all the people who work here.”
Melanie Yelardy, track and field: “Today was a very humbling experience. As college students, we think we are so stressed about this and that. To see the joy they got out of some simple things like getting candy and listening to us read them books, was just very humbling. I got a lot out of it.”
Today provided an opportunity for many of NC State’s gifted athletes to share their time and compassion with people who may never be able to play on a team or attend college. The joy on the faces of the people at The Tammy Lynn Center showed how truly thrilled they were for these student athletes to visit and celebrate Halloween with them.
The feeling was clearly mutual. All of the student-athletes had a wonderful time and several plan to go back to the
