Kats spend Saturday making difference
8/29/2015 5:45:00 PM | Baseball
After reporting for their first fall meetings and classes of the semester last week, the Sam Houston State baseball program divided up into three groups and headed out into the community on Saturday, seeking to make a difference in the lives of area citizens.
The first group spent the morning playing bingo, reading to and visiting with residents of Creekview Assisted Living. Meanwhile, the second group was over at Good Shepherd Mission, an organization that seeks to feed, clothe, shelter, counsel and change lives. The players purchased groceries, mowed, edged and cleaned up the grounds.
Thanks to the advice of Family Faith Church, the players made their way to an elderly woman's ranch in New Waverly where they cleared fence line and fixed up a barn.
“I'm very proud of this team and the three groups that went out,” second-year head coach Matt Deggs said. “Each team had a designated leader and they were responsible for finding the people in need, setting it up and then with their team, following through, and that's exactly what they did.”
In May, the Sam Houston athletic department was recognized by the Southland Conference for contributions to the community, winning the league's annual Pop-Tab Collection drive which raises funds for the Ronald McDonald House at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
The Bearkats also were the runners-up in the “Southland Strong Community Service Award” competition after logging 2,207 hours of work in the city. For Deggs, the team's commitment to helping in the community only re-emphasizes what being a Bearkat is all about.
“They put it all together on their own and made a difference in the lives of those in need,” Deggs said. “This group fully understands the Sam Houston motto 'the measure of a life is in its service.'”
For the latest on Sam Houston baseball and to see more photos from Saturday's efforts, check out @BearkatBaseball on Twitter.
