DANSVILLE – In honor of two recent high school graduates who are now military-bound, Dansville Central School’s soccer players have teamed up in generous support of U.S. military veterans this year.
According to a press release from Dansville coach Steve French, every year the soccer teams pick a charity for which to fundraise. Dansville had two students graduate last year who are headed to the military, so the teams wanted to honor these students and show their pride for the decision to join the armed forces.
“So, we picked the Warfighter sports event that included racing outrigger canoes with the wounded veterans who are recovering and getting involved in the sports, bringing in warriors from all over the country to participate,” said Coach French. “We raised over 1600 dollars for them as of October 9th.”
Dansville students not only raised the money so that these servicemen and women could participate but they were actual participants themselves, racing with and against them on the water. On Sept. 19, 50 students and coaches traveled to the Genesee Valley waterways to meet and race outrigger canoes for the day. They met the veterans that the money raised is helping and got a chance to thank them for their service. It was an active, fun and fulfilling day for the students, and they were rewarded with heartfelt thanks and the satisfaction of a job well done.
In the past, Dansville soccer teams have raised money for the Cancer Society, Lupus foundation, and last year for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. They have also raised money and traveled to Nicaragua to build a house. Coach French estimates that they have donated and raised over $15,000 dollars as a program in the last few years.
Warfighter sports’ website can be seen here.
Coach French also shared this link to the outrigger canoe program website where anyone interested in volunteering can find more information.
(Photo/Coach French)