Oct. 29, 2007

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. --- During the week of Sept. 17 -23, Samford student-athletes, along with fellow students, parents and community members, lent a helping hand to raise $648.40 for the Boys and Girls Club of Birmingham. The Student Athlete Advisory Committee coordinated a "Penny Drop" on campus throughout the week, eventually carrying it over into the weekend's athletic events.

"As SAAC, we are trying to do one community service project per month and this was our September one," senior volleyball player and SAAC co-president Robin Bishop said. "Several organizations were suggested to be the recipient of the money. The Boys and Girls Club of Birmingham was suggested by tennis player Anna Jackson who is volunteering there. We chose this over the others suggestions because we thought the donation would really be appreciated and put to good use."

"We wanted to focus on kids because we like to have a lot of kids at our games, and we wanted to kind of give back to our fans," sophomore soccer player and community service co-chairman Jenna Sturgill said. "So, we figured the Boys and Girls Club, they need good role models and mentors and they also need funding."

The week-long event targeted mostly student-athletes, but all Samford students were encouraged to give what they could. Fliers about the event were posted in the food court and in all athletic areas on campus, while SAAC representatives collected money at a table set up in the high-traffic area of Ben Brown Plaza located right outside the cafeteria during lunch time.

"Many people were eager to give, but some walked past ignoring us each day," Bishop said. "Both athletes and non-athletes gave change, and some people even came by later in the week after cleaning out their drawers or cars, with cups of pennies."

Throughout the week, the Penny Drop became a competition between the male and female students on campus. The males came out victorious, raising more money than the females.

"We thought it would be good, since we are athletes, to do a competition between female athletes and male athletes, since we can get really competitive," Sturgill said. "It's just a fun way to get our athletes motivated and to draw in other students and get their support too."

SAAC not only collected money during school hours, the fundraiser was carried over into the weekend as they set up tables at Samford sporting events. A table was place at the Samford Invitational Cross Country event, as well as the soccer game against Auburn, and the football game against Southeast Missouri. The latter ended up the most successful event for the fundraiser as Samford parents and fans were eager to contribute as well.

A check for $648.40 will be presented by SAAC to representatives from the Boys and Girls Club at halftime of Samford's football game against Jacksonville State on Saturday, Nov. 3.

The Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is a student-run organization comprised of student-athletes developed as a mouthpiece for the Bulldogs' student-athletes. It is led by co-chairs Kyle Nichols (Baseball) and Robin Bishop (Volleyball), secretary Valerie Kikkert (Soccer), community service co-chairs Matt Knaus (Football) and Jenna Sturgill (Soccer), calendar keeper and promoter Britney Almaguer, (Women's Track/CC), and Athletes for Athletes co-chairs Travis Peterson (Men's Basketball) and Hank Grant (Men's Tennis).