SPECIAL FEATURE: The Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) softball team made its fifth annual trip to the San Antonio Food Back (SAFB) last Saturday for a special community service project. 

The Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that serves as a clearinghouse by receiving and storing truckloads of donated food, produce and other grocery products. SAFB distributes these items in manageable quantities to over 500 service agencies that help people in need.

Head Coach James Kling believes that "his team sees what people who are less fortunate than us have to eat and depend upon on a regular basis. It helps them appreciate family and what they have that much more."

He continued, "I also hope that by asking them to volunteer like this now will lead to them being a volunteer for life in whatever they choose to do."   

The Saints helped prepare boxes of food that will feed the elderly on a regular basis. The team members were grouped with other organizations that were also volunteering. "We got to meet some nice people," Kling commented.

All sports teams in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) enjoy volunteering in their communities as part of the NAIA Champions of Character program. The program aims to instill five core values in NAIA athletes and coaches: respect, responsibility, integrity, servant leadership, and sportsmanship. Our Lady of the Lake University shares and supports these values and strives to promote the Champions of Character program by working with students, coaches through our Champions of Character educational program.

For more information on the Champions of Character program, click on the logo below: www.championsofcharacter.