Men's team scores with charity

The UW Men's basketball team visited Seattle's Union Gospel Mission (UGM) to feed meals to the homeless September 18 and 20.

As part of the UW Athletic Department's ongoing dedication to giving back to the larger community, the basketball players visited the men's homeless shelter twice to help prepare and serve food. Half of the team came in Sept. 18 and the other half volunteered two days later. All of the athletics are encouraged to volunteer in some way, said Lance LaVetter, director of basketball operations.

"We need to give back," LaVetter said. "They're [student-athletes], not professionals, but they're sometimes looked at like that. These kids are in the limelight, but they're fortunate. Somebody helped them when they were younger, and this is a way of giving back."

UGM receives student volunteers from all over the country, and has maintained an ongoing relationship with UW Athletics for years. This was the first time the team volunteered there, although other teams have helped out in the past.

The men's shelter is open 365 days a year and serves three meals per day.

"There is always a need to help out," said Sharon Thomas-Hearns, director of public relations. "It was great. The men from the streets get really excited when people with busy schedules or high-profile jobs come in and show that they still care about the larger community, so it was really special."

LaVetter emphasized that the players don't volunteer for the publicity.

"It's not something people know about, because some people do this every day. There are some people [who volunteer at the shelter] who don't get any credit at all." he said. "We're part of a bigger picture."

The team plans to continue to volunteer in the future, including visiting the Children's Hospital, which several athletic departments do on a regular basis.

Thomas-Hearns agreed that giving back to the community is beneficial to the individual as well.

"I think that any time anyone, not just student- athletes, comes down to the shelter, it does something to them. It takes them out of their own environment," she said. "It also helps to break down stereotypes portrayed on the media; you know homeless people are people, too. They're humans."

[HTML_REMOVED]Reach reporter Arla Shephard at news@thedaily.washington.edu.[HTML_REMOVED]