Track & Field Team Gives A Helping Hand
10/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Track & Field/XC
The
The student-athletes helped out at the IEAS by raking leaves around and inside the feline habitats. They also cleared out trees and brush in the bear habitat. The workers at the IEAS said what the athletes did in one afternoon takes them a whole week.
“This was the first time any
Assistant track coach Laurie McElroy helped coordinate the project because of her special love for exotic animals. “Animal welfare is something that many people are very passionate about and I wanted to give our athletes an opportunity to volunteer, make a difference, raise awareness, and experience something completely unique all at the same time. Most people never see these types of animals anywhere other than in pictures, on TV and in zoos. It was great seeing the athletes’ reactions to the individual stories of each of the animals. This is definitely an organization we will continue to work with in the future.”
The purpose and goals of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary are to provide a permanent sanctuary for exotic animals that have been abused, abandoned, neglected, confiscated, or previously owned by people unwilling or unable to provide for these magnificent beings. Additionally, IEAS educates the public through school programs, tour lectures, support for conservation programs, and public appearances about the value and worth of these sensitive, intelligent and perceptive animals, so that their future, as an important part of our world, is insured.
The North Texas Athletic Department seeks to provide opportunities for Mean Green student-athletes, coaches, and administrators to interact with the local and regional community in an effort to extend goodwill, to help fulfill specific needs, and to "give back" to our valued constituents. Past projects have included reading to children at various schools and after-school programs, neighborhood beautification projects, Habitat for Humanity and others.
Mean Green Involved In The Community