At Plattsburgh State, community service is an integral part of the student-athlete experience--right along with competitive excellence and academic achievement. The Cardinal athletic teams clock well over 3,000 hours of community service every school year.
Recently,
the National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA) announced its annual NADIIIAA/Josten's Community Service Awards and Plattsburgh State earned honorable mention in the On-Going Project/Activity category. The awards were handed out at the 2010 NCAA Convention in Atlanta on January 16, 2010.
The awards, given for projects/activities completed during the previous school year, are intended to recognize the many contributions Division III student-athletes regularly make to their campuses and local communities. Schools may submit entries into three different categories, including On-Going Project/Activity, One-Time Project/Activity and an Array of Projects/Activities. The awards program is co-sponsored by the NADIIIAA and Jostens.
Plattsburgh submitted for the awards committee's consideration its on-going partnership with the North Country Down Syndrome Association (NCDSA). While the men’s hockey team is the driving force behind the events for the Cardinals, the rest of the varsity athletic teams at Plattsburgh have embraced the cause and helped increase attendance and money-raised through their participation.
Through various fundraising activities, the NCDSA estimates the Cardinal to have donated over $10,000. This includes $2,500 through the Buddy Walk, $2,500 from raffle activities, $1,500 in NCDSA/Plattsburgh joint sweatshirt sales, $1,500 in calendar sales featuring men’s hockey players and NCDSA members every month, and $2,000 in donations.
Men’s hockey defensemen Eric Greene and Ward Smith were honored last May by the National Down Syndrome Society with recognition awards for their positive roles in advocating and promoting awareness of Down Syndrome in the Plattsburgh area. They received endorsement from the NCDSA.
The final results in all three categories for this past year are as follows:
| |
One-Time Project/Activity |
An Array of Projects/Activities
|
On-Going Project/Activity |
| Winner |
Amherst College |
UW-Eau Claire |
York College (Pa.) |
| Award of Merit |
Salisbury University |
Springfield College |
Salisbury University |
| Award of Merit |
SUNY Cortland |
North Central College |
University of Redlands |
Honorable Mention
|
North Central College (Ill.) |
SUNY Geneseo |
Plattsburgh State |
Honorable Mention
|
Mills College |
SUNY Oswego |
Trine University |
Honorable Mention
|
Trine University |
Salisbury University |
John Carroll University |
Honorable Mention
|
-- |
Rowan University |
SUNY Oneonta |
Honorable Mention
|
-- |
-- |
Ohio Wesleyan University |
