COMMUNITY OUTREACH
The UMBC Athletics Community Outreach Program is dedicated to promoting a positive relationship between our student-athletes and communities surrounding the university. The program was developed in 1993 with the intention of encouraging young people to value and appreciate education through athletics. During the 2007-2008 school year, UMBC athletes performed a total of more than 2,200 hours of community service through programs based in the Baltimore area and raised more than $23,000 for various charities. In addition, UMBC Athletics won the Retriever Black and Gold Award for best co-sponsorship event of the year with the Special Olympics Maryland Unified Basketball event.
The UMBC Athletics Community Outreach Program has been nationally recognized for its excellence. The men’s lacrosse team’s efforts with the “Ride With Pride” program earned them the 2000 “Volunteer of the Year” award by the Maryland Recreation and Parks Association. UMBC’s role with “Ride With Pride” has been the subject of features aired by WMAR-TV and Fox Sports News over the past several years. Fox Sports News also featured a group of UMBC’s student-athletes that worked with “Habitat for Humanity” in New Orleans in the Spring of 2006 and The NCAA News spotlighted UMBC in its February “Center Piece”.
For more information about the UMBC Athletics Community Outreach Program, contact Community Outreach Director Kelly Fahey at 410-455-3389 or kfahey1@umbc.edu. For information on other community service events on campus, check out UMBCServes.
School Visits: Building Academic Excellence Through Team Work
UMBC student-athletes and coaches travel to schools and organizations in the area to give presentations to young students. Through these presentations and mini-clinics, teams emphasize the importance of doing well in school, setting goals, and leading a safe and healthy lifestyle.
Make A Difference Mentoring Program
The UMBC Athletics’ mentoring program pairs each student-athlete with an elementary or middle school student to assist in academic areas of need for one hour a week per semester. These relationships provide young students with excellent role models who are able to effectively communicate with them. During the Fall of 2007, 17 Retrievers mentored students for a total of 510 hours.
Ride With Pride Program
Student-athletes assist trainers in horseback riding activities for children with disabilities at the Maryland Equestrian Center in Catonsville. Riders are able to learn basic riding skills while improving their self esteem, socialization, and communication skills. During the Fall of 2007, 54 Retrievers volunteered for a total of 424 hours.
Mid-Day Madness
On January 16, 2008, UMBC hosted the Third Annual Mid-Day Madness. The event brings an average of 800 students, teachers and administrators to the university each year. The groups receive a tour of the campus from UMBC student-athletes, eat lunch in our dining facilities, and attend a UMBC women’s basketball game.
Polar Bear Plunge
On January 26, 2008, UMBC Athletics participated in the Maryland State Police Polar Bear Plunge at Sandy Point State Park. UMBC’s 12 participants joined the thousands of plungers gathered to take a dip in the Chesapeake Bay to raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics. UMBC alone raised more than $1,800.
Special Olympics Unified Basketball Tournament
On March 1, 2008, UMBC hosted a Special Olympics Unified Basketball Tournament, the first of its kind in Maryland. More than 50 volunteers from UMBC assisted with the day, serving as referees, score keepers and cheering squads. The event won the Retriever Black and Gold Award for Best Co-Sponsorship Event of the year.
Post-Game Autograph Sessions
Following select home games, each UMBC team signs autographs for their fans. These sessions provide fans an opportunity to meet the student-athletes and take home a memorable souvenir.
Other Community Outreach Events and Programs in 2007-08
September 27, 2007: Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams visited Arbutus Middle School.
September 30, 2007: Women’s Lacrosse Light the Night Walk (http://www.lightthenight.org/) – 32 walkers raised nearly $4,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
October 5, 2007: Lee National Denim Day – Raised $300 for breast cancer research.
October 9, 2007: Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams visited Relay Elementary School.
October 11, 2007: PHED202 class read to third grade students at Relay Elementary School.
October 14, 2007: Komen Maryland Race for the Cure – 41 participants raised nearly $1,300 for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation .
Adopt-a-Family Christmas Toy Drive helped 20 families in need.
February 17, 2008: UMBC teamed with Enterprise Rent-a-Car to raise $1,000 for United Cerebral Palsy at the men’s basketball game.
February 22, 2008: Members of the Volleyball, Men’s Basketball and Tennis teams held an assembly at Halethorpe Elementary School.
March 10, 2008: Women’s Basketball team visited local elementary and middle schools to read to the students as part of the Believe to Achieve reading program.
March 14, 2008: $1,000 raised for Special Olympics of Maryland through Goals for Good Goal-a-Thon at the Men’s Lacrosse game.
Men’s Lacrosse team raised $1,200 for the HEADStrong Foundation by selling T-shirts.
Men’s Lacrosse team raised $7,500 to participate in the Lax for Leukemia Tournament.
Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse teams raised $4,000 at the US Lacrosse Annual Phone-a-Thon.
Kennedy Krieger Institute fundraiser raised $1,200 at a Men’s Lacrosse game.
Bake sale for the V Foundation for Cancer Research raised $100.
UMBC Athletics volunteered with the Special Olympics of Maryland Young Athletes Program.
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