Elmira College SAAB Sponsors Family In Need During Holiday Season
SAAB President Matthew Buffum '18 delivered the gifts to the
Catholic Charities office on Thursday, December 12.
ELMIRA, N.Y. -- In what has become a holiday tradition for the Soaring Eagles, the Elmira College Department of Athletics and the EC Student-Athlete Advisory Board (SAAB) once again participated in this year's Adopt-A-Family Program, organized by Catholic Charities of Chemung & Schuyler Counties, to help make this Christmas a merry one for a local family in need.
This year, each of Elmira's 20 athletic teams, as well as the sports medicine department, collected donations to help support a family of seven that was comprised of four children ages five to 16 years old, their grandparents and an aunt. SAAB members Matthew Buffum '18 (men's volleyball), Audrey Clarke '18 (women's golf), Nick Cottone '19 (baseball), Kennedy Pagano '19 (cheerleading) and Natalia Walker '20 (cheerleading) used the funds that were raised to purchase items on the family's wish list. The Soaring Eagles raised more than enough money to purchase all of the items that the family had asked for.
"Giving back is something that we enjoy doing," said Buffum, president of the EC SAAB. "It's really nice to see the giving spirit from all of our athletes at this time of the year. We know the community supports us and we want to give back to them. They're our fans, they come to our games to watch us play, so it's important that we help them in a time of need."
Buffum, Clarke and Cottone were joined by Senior Associate Director of Athletics
Jen Bozek and SAAB Secretary/Treasurer Anthony Parrucci '20 (men's ice hockey), as well as EC baseball players Anthony Colegrove '18, Justin Iannotto '20 and Daren Manheimer '21 to wrap the gifts with festive holiday paper and bows. The presents were delivered to the Catholic Charities office in downtown Elmira on Thursday morning for distribution.
"Catholic Charities of Chemung & Schuyler really looks forward to the participation from Elmira College," said Katie Rhodes, Development and Marketing Coordinator for the local organization. "We really appreciate their help and we know it is such a huge blessing to the family. To be able to have them sponsored by the student-athletes is an incredible blessing and you know they are going to be thrilled when they see all of these presents."