Photo – Northwestern State director of athletics Greg Burke makes a presentation to Lamar AD Jason Henderson during halftime of the universities' Sept. 16 football game at Turpin Stadium, as members of the NSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee flank them. The NSU SAAC collected donations from fans attending the game to be provided to Hurricane Harvey relief in Beaumont, where Lamar is located, and Houston. It was one of several hurricane relief initiatives by Northwestern student-athletes and teams.
 
Photo gallery - http://nsudemons.com/galleries/?gallery=1697
 
 
NATCHITOCHES – Community service is one of the cornerstone values of Northwestern State Athletics.
 
Student-athletes, coaches and staff for years have done extensive service, most centered around Natchitoches and surrounding communities. But some initiatives have extended hundreds, and even thousands, of miles, literally spanning the globe.
 
After an epic disaster struck southeast Texas and southwestern Louisiana recently, when Hurricane Harvey made landfall last month, the response was immediate and has continued.
 
In several ways, the NSU Athletics family has made efforts to provide aid to the thousands impacted just a few hours away from the university.
 
The Lady Demon softball team, which has about a half-dozen current players from the greater Houston metroplex, quickly took almost 1,300 pounds of clothing, shoes, and other supplies (toiletries, cleaning supplies, toys and infant care items) to Houston.
 
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes NSU Huddle collected and delivered a truckload of clothing, water and supplies to Beaumont for the church attended by Demon football players Andrew and Christian Bluiett.
 
Athletic trainers, spearheaded by graduate assistant Victoria Morris, collected and delivered nearly 10,000 bottles of water and sports drink to El Campo, Texas, about 50 miles west of Houston -- along with diapers, emergency kits, clothes and other items. These were contributed by NSU student-athletes and teams. Another trip is planned in October.
 
The NSU basketball and baseball teams, in response to a request from their counterparts at the University of Houston, sent clothing and shoes for distribution to disaster-stricken residents there.
 
The NSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee teamed with the NSU Panhellenic organization, comprised of sororities on campus, to collect nearly $500 in cash contributions by fans during the first home football game, against Lamar. The proceeds have been directed to needs in Beaumont designated by Lamar's SAAC, and to the J.J. Watt Harvey Relief Initiative in Houston.
 
Many other student organizations at NSU have been engaged providing hurricane relief as our neighbors recover continues from staggering damages.