Throughout the spring semester, St. Kates student-athletes emphasized their commitment to community by volunteering and giving back at various initiatives, including the Minnesota Special Olympics Polar Plunge, Feed My Starving Children, and the St. Kates Food Shelf.
On March 4, the Wildcat Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (WSAAC) teamed up with Unified Katies, a Special Olympics Club at St. Kate's, to coordinate and organize St. Kate's students to raise money for the Minneapolis Polar Plunge. The St. Kates student athletes raised the second largest amount of money in the university and college division for the Minneapolis Polar Plunge, totaling $10,383.
Senior athlete on the St. Kates hockey team and president of WSAAC Kaitlyn Blair 23, has taken on the role of heading the event for two years in a row. Blair was able to get Wildcat athletes from soccer, cross country/track and field, hockey, volleyball, tennis, basketball, and dance to raise money for this cause.
Throughout the spring, the Wildcat student-athletes also "teamed up" in a competition of who could pack the most boxes and meals with Feed My Starving Children. Feed My Starving Children is a nonprofit organization empowering volunteers to pack meals for malnourished children in nearly 70 countries. Athletes from all Wildcat teams took part in this initiative, packing a total of 422 boxes for the MannaPack meals.
"Taking advantage of any opportunity to help our community is important, and for me especially, I see how a little bit of my time has a significant impact, said swim and dive athlete Emma Svendsen 25. This opportunity allowed teams to unite, help make a difference, and inspire others to do the same."
In addition to these nationwide and global fundraising opportunities, the St. Kate student-athletes also engage in local volunteer opportunities that support the St. Kates community.
Elsa Joly 23 volunteered bi-weekly on delivery days at the St. Kate's Food Shelf, which provides produce, meals, and hygiene products to community members as part of the Food Access Hub.
I truly like volunteering for the Food Shelf because it gives me a way to give back to the community and help people have secured access to food," said Joly.
Read more about these volunteering initiatives on the St. Kate's Athletics .
Photos courtesy of St. Kate's Athletics.