RICHARDSON, Texas –– Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from the 15 American Southwest Conference campuses combined to raise a record $11,938.57 for local community organizations in the fifth annual “Make a Change in 14 Days” loose coin collection project.

Sixteen different organizations received support through the local campus fundraising efforts held from January 25-February 7. Included were the American Cancer Society; Boys and Girls Club of Brownwood; Christus Cabrini Cancer Center in Alexandria; Family of Rex Fleming; Hendrick Children’s Hospital; Juvenile Diabetes; Kerrville YMCA; Kids Against Hunger; Make-A-Wish Foundation; Marshall Boys & Girls Club; Multiple System Atrophy Organization in memory of Eileen Bowman; Ozark Rape Crisis Center; Susan G. Komen for the Cure; Special Olympics of Texas; Sul Ross State Theater; and Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

In the five years of the conference-wide community service campaign, nearly $40,000 has been raised to benefit 50 different charitable organizations in ASC campus communities. In each of the past four years, the SAAC groups have topped the $8,000 mark.

“In the tough economic climate, the ASC student-athletes embraced the Make a Change in 14 Days challenge and worked at a record-pace to help ensure that persons and agencies in their local areas were supported,” Amy Carlton, ASC commissioner, said. “Pairing athletics and community agencies reflects the Division III value of developing citizenship through community involvement.”

The two-week SAAC event is also designed as a challenge among the ASC member campuses and is scheduled during the turn of the conference division basketball schedule. Schreiner University, Texas Lutheran University, Sul Ross State University and Howard Payne University claimed the 2011 division pool title with a combined collection of $6,075.74, nearly doubling the previous record.

Schreiner University, located in Kerrville, Texas, was the top-collecting ASC institution for the first time, raising $2,805. Schreiner student-athletes helped raised funds for the Kerrville YMCA so that children in the local community can have the opportunity to be involved in sports and use state-of-the-art equipment.

“It all really started by us getting motivated at the conference SAAC meeting,” said Schreiner SAAC Secretary Tom Pappas, a junior soccer and cross country student-athlete. “One of our goals at Schreiner is to involve the community more.”

The Schreiner SAAC group collected the bulk of its funds at Edington Gym on February 5 and 7 as its basketball teams took on McMurry and Hardin-Simmons, respectively, in conference action. The group also made it a two-week competition among all Mountaineer sport teams to gather donations and utilized the help of the children from the Kerrville YMCA. 

“It was a very rewarding experience (to make the presentation),” Pappas said. “It was a huge feeling of accomplishment for our SAAC members knowing that we were making an impact in those kids’ lives.”

In addition to Pappas, Schreiner’s SAAC officers consist of president Samantha Rawlinson, vice president Kevin Carell and advisor Drew Miller.

The student-athlete advisory committee at Texas Lutheran University came in second place as it raised $2,332.75 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of Kathy Starch, the wife of team doctor David Starch, who is battling cancer. Also posting its best “Make a Change in 14 Days” total in the five-year campaign was Sul Ross State University, which split $854.00 in donations between the American Cancer Society and Sul Ross State Theatre. McMurry University had the biggest increase from 2010, raising $779.71 for Hendrick Children’s Hospital.

“MAKE A CHANGE IN 14 DAYS”

Student-Athlete Advisory Committees from the American Southwest Conference Teamed Together in collecting Loose Change earmarked for a local community organization from January 25 – February 7, 2011.

ASC INSITUTION: Local Organization (Funds Raised)

CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY TEXAS: Special Olympics of Texas ($503.98)

EAST TEXAS BAPTIST UNIVERSITY: Marshall Boys & Girls Club ($75.00)

HARDIN-SIMMONS UNIVERSITY: Family of Rex Fleming ($725.00)

HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY: Boys and Girls Club of Brownwood ($83.99)

LETOURNEAU UNIVERSITY: Multiple System Atrophy Organization in memory of Eileen Bowman ($540.00)

LOUISIANA COLLEGE: Christus Cabrini Cancer Center in Alexandria ($1,869.71)

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR: Kids Against Hunger / Juvenile Diabetes ($312.00)

MCMURRY UNIVERSITY: Hendrick Children’s Hospital ($779.17)

MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE: Susan G. Komen for the Cure of Central Mississippi ($267.00)

UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS: Ozark Rape Crisis Center ($601.80)

SCHREINER UNIVERSITY: Kerrville YMCA ($2,805.00)

SUL ROSS STATE UNIVERSITY: Sul Ross State Theater / American Cancer Society ($854.00)

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS: Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children ($126.56)

UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT TYLER: Make-A-Wish Foundation ($62.61)

TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY: Susan G. Komen for the Cure in honor of Kathy Starch ($2,332.75)

2011 Combined Total

2011 COMBINED TOTAL

$11,938.57

Top Collecting SAAC

TOP-COLLECTING STUDENT-ATHLETE ADVISORY COMMITTE

Schreiner University

Total: $2,805.00 (Kerrville YMCA)

DIVISION POOLS

DIVISION POOLS
1ST PLACE

Schreiner University, Texas Lutheran University, Sul Ross State University, Howard Payne University

Combined Total: $6,075.74 

Louisiana College, University of the Ozarks, Mississippi College, University of Texas at Dallas

Combined Total: $2,865.07

McMurry University, Concordia University Texas, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Hardin-Simmons University

Combined Total: $2,320.15

University of Texas at Tyler, East Texas Baptist University, LeTourneau University

Combined Total: $677.61

 Five-Year Combined Total

$39,760.17

FIVE-YEAR COMBINED TOTAL
$39,760.17