NT Student-Athletes Named "Christmas Volunteers Of The Year"

DENTON (3/31/05) North Texas student-athletes were named “Christmas Volunteers of the Year” by the Salvation Army of Denton County for their community service during the holiday season. Athletic director Rick Villarreal accepted the award on behalf of North Texas Athletics at the Salvation Army of Denton’s annual luncheon on Wednesday afternoon.

Mean Green student-athletes volunteered more than 200 hours of their time with the Salvation Army Red Kettles and Angel Trees to assist others during the holiday season.

"The Salvation Army is most visible during the holidays, but the dollars raised through the Kettle Drive make up a large portion of the Army's fundraising budget for the year,” said North Texas Senior Associate Athletic Director Hank Dickenson, who serves on the Salvation Army of Denton County’s Advisory Board of Directors. “It is really exciting to know that our student-athletes helped provide such a large increase in the dollars raised this past Christmas season. They deserve this type of recognition."

More than 40 student-athletes took an active role last December in the Salvation Army’s Red Kettles Drive. Several teams participated including tennis, women’s basketball, volleyball, as well as men’s and women’s golf. Over four weekends, the Mean Green worked in shifts at the Golden Triangle Mall and nearby stores to help raise money. The North Texas student-athletes raised $1,160.50 to help families out this past Christmas.

Angel Trees is a program that allows people to “adopt” a child for the Christmas holiday and give them gifts. The Mean Green softball team helped sign families up and organized the toys that were being distributed via the Angel Trees.

“This is a perfect example of how important giving back to the community and society is to our student-athletes,” said Courtney Howard, assistant athletic director of academics and support services at North Texas. “The student-athletes were thrilled to help out with this project, receiving an award is only a bonus.”

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