University of Connecticut Athletics
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9/28/2009 12:00:00 AM | General
Sept. 28, 2009
GALLERYMANCHESTER, Conn. -- "Husky Reach", the community service program of the UConn Division of Athletics, kicked off its 2009-10 year with an event at the Verplanck Elementary School in Manchester, Conn., last Thursday evening.
UConn student-athletes from a number of teams, including baseball, rowing, women's track and field and men's ice hockey, came to the event, which featured a barbeque and games with students of Verplanck and their families.
UConn student-athletes volunteer time at the school to work with the students there and create a culture of hope through both academics and athletics. The goal is to develop a quality, consistent and mutually beneficial relationship among the student-athletes, coaches, and staff of the UConn Division of Athletics and the student, teachers and administrators of Verplanck Elementary School.
UConn student-athletes work with the young boys and girls who attend Verplanck to promote the concepts of sportsmanship, integrity, teamwork and the value of education.
The "Husky Reach" program is funded by the SBM Charitable Foundation, which was established in 2000 by Connecticut Bankshares, the parent company of the former Savings Bank of Manchester. The SBM Charitable Foundation, Inc., is committed to bettering the lives of those who live and work predominately in Hartford, Windham and Tolland counties.
The next initiative of "Husky Reach" at Verplanck will be a literacy program involving students throughout the school. In 2008-09, Verplanck students met the "Reading Millionaires" challenge as the school read a collective one million minutes and earned a trip to the UConn campus. Approximately 100 students from the Verplanck School enjoyed a visit to Storrs and were exposed to a number of facets of campus life last February - including a women's basketball game where they were honored at halftime.
"Community service for our student-athletes is a priority of the Division of Athletics, along with excellence in the classroom and athletic achievement," says UConn Director of Athletics Jeffrey Hathaway. "The `Husky Reach' program has allowed our student-athletes to interact with the children at Verplanck and promote an enthusiasm for education. We are grateful to our friends at the SBM Charitable Foundation for their generous support, which has made our entire outreach program a reality. The SBM Charitable Foundation and our student-athletes are working together to make a tangible difference in the lives of the young students at Verplanck."
