LAURINBURG — Over the last two months the St. Andrews University football team has performed multiple community services projects.
The players traveled to Scotia Village, CrossPointe Church, St. Andrews University cafeteria and Scotland Memorial Hospital to assist with picking up trash, handing out candy and talking to the community about the program.
The Knights football team and staff began at Scotia Village explaining to residents the daily operations and fundamentals of football. The team brought equipment and uniforms for the residents, so they could get up close and personal with this wonderful game.
Former Wake Forest Hall of Fame football player James McDougald, a resident of Scotia Village, made the comment that all the things the the football program is doing at St. Andrews is great for the university as well as the community of Scotland County.
“It was truly a humbling experience. We believe the idea of giving back to the community is extremely important for the future of these kids as well as for the success of this program,” said Knights head coach David Harper. “The residents loved it and I hope they will welcome us back in the near future.”
The team then picked up trash around CrossPointe Church, the players collected five bags of trash from the grounds around the church and the parking lot.
“Community service whether it is something small like picking up trash or going to the hospital to simply thank those who serve the community everyday or hours on end is what makes being part of something bigger than yourself, such as the SAU football team, is the greatest benefit to me,” said Knights receiver and SHS graduate Jacob Young. “In my opinion who we are will not be determined by all the things we may receive in life, but by all the things we are able to do to give back to others.”
In February, 11 football players gave the cafeteria workers the night off and helped clean the cafeteria. The players didn’t and many students don’t not realize the workers in the cafeteria must stay hours later to clean and get things prepared for the next day. They cannot begin cleaning until the last few people leave which is normally well after the cafeteria’s regular closing hours.
On Valentine’s Day, the Knights players headed to Scotland Memorial to hand out bags of chocolates and assorted candies to the nurses and janitors. The guys also gave out hugs and kind words to the workers to show their appreciation for hard work.
“I enjoyed the experience because I feel like we made the nurses and janitors days,” said sophomore linebacker Mike Lundy. “It was a blessing for us to help the workers that may not have been able to spend much time with their families. They enjoyed us being there and they were very appreciative of us. It was a great feeling.”
