College of Wooster student-athletes raise nearly $10,000 to help local families

The College of Wooster Student-Athlete Advisory Committee continued its longstanding partnership with Wayne County Department of Job & Family Services this holiday season. Now in its seventh year, the Fighting Scots adopted local families in need for the holiday season and raised nearly $10,000 to support seven families.

Wooster’s SAAC assigns groups of teams to each family. The teams then raise funds and buy and wrap presents and essential household needs. Wayne County Department of Job & Family Services picks up the gifts after the Fighting Scots have them wrapped.

“This initiative is so important, not only for the Fighting Scot community, but for the entirety of Wooster,” women’s basketball senior and Wooster SAAC President Chloe Pordash said. “The pillars of being a student-athlete at Wooster are community, excellence and integrity, and our partnership with Wayne County Department of Job & Family Services is a great opportunity to demonstrate what Wooster is all about.”

“The most rewarding part of this initiative is being able to alleviate the stress of buying necessities for these families,” said baseball senior Cooper Baer, one of the team’s SAAC representatives. “We are able to provide gifts that help the family, give the children a memorable holiday season and allow the family to enjoy each other’s company during an otherwise stressful time.”

SAAC has raised approximately $34,000 over seven years of the service program.