In the spirit of giving back, members of the Elmira College Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Department of Athletics once again partnered with Catholic Charities of Chemung and Schuyler Counties to make the holidays a little merrier for a local family.
On Monday morning, the Soaring Eagles made a special trip to Catholic Charities' downtown office to deliver presents for a local mother and her three teenage children. Participation in the Adopt-A-Family Program – like the men's ice hockey team's Teddy Bear Toss Game – has grown into a holiday tradition, providing EC student-athletes an avenue to make a difference in the greater Elmira community, which is one of the key pillars of the "One Team, One Elmira, One Community" initiative announced at the start of the 2019-20 academic year.
"I think it is important because it really gets us involved in the community," said SAAC president
Joseph Amoddio '21, a member of the EC men's basketball and volleyball teams. "It allows everyone from the campus community to help out and help a family in need."
After receiving the family's wish list, Amoddio shopped for gifts such as household supplies, kitchen utensils, winter clothing, make-up and jewelry for the daughter, and football-themed items for the two boys. He, alongside SAAC vice president
Jeremy Every '20 (men's basketball),
Mason Weir '21 (baseball and men's basketball), and younger brother
Matt Amoddio '22 (men's basketball and volleyball), then assisted Senior Associate Director of Athletics
Jen Bozek in wrapping the presents on Friday afternoon as a destresser at the conclusion of finals week.