NEW PALTZ, NY — Organized by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee of the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) on Sunday November 6th 2005, the student-athletes of SUNY New Paltz took a time out from academics and athletics to give back to the community and participate in the First Annual SUNYAC Community Leaf Raking. Eleven SUNY campuses participated in the event.
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee organized the event, which aided the community members in the raking of leaves from their properties. Over one hundred student-athletes turned out to rake a total of thirty houses, including Historic Huguenot Street. The service of the student-athletes was so welcomed and appreciated by the local community that in many cases they were asked to accommodate yards that were previously unscheduled. The student-athletes seized the opportunity to help additional community members without hesitation. The 2005 Community Leaf Rake was such a success on both the local and statewide level that it will be continued in years to come.
In this collaborative effort the players helped the community in which they live and once again defined the meaning of the word “team.”
