UB Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to Hold Second Annual CareWears Day

Student-athletes reach out to impact students at School 53 in Buffalo

BUFFALO, NY - The University at Buffalo Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) will hold its second annual CareWears Day on Wednesday, April 28 as part of its community outreach program. Along with Aeropostale, Tomasello Limousine and Garfield's Restaurant, UB student-athletes hope to raise the morale of 20 students from School 53 in Buffalo by taking them on an afternoon shopping spree to remember.

UB student-athletes and mascot Victor E. Bull will arrive at School 53 in the morning to pick up 20 selected students, who will then be whisked away in a limousine to Aeropostale in the McKinley Mall for a $100 per student shopping spree. Aeropostale will close down the store to other shoppers, allowing its sales associates to devote their full attention to the School 53 students, each of whom will be escorted by a UB student-athlete as they select clothes and decide how to spend their gift card. An afternoon of shopping will give way to a much-needed lunch at Garfield's restaurant before returning to school in the limo.

Students in grades six, seven and eight at School 53 were given the opportunity to participate in a "What Makes Me Unique" contest, encouraged to be creative in making a piece of art that portrays their individuality. Their teachers then selected 20 winners to participate in the CareWears Day.

CareWears was brought to UB by women's soccer player Anna-Lesa Calvert (Dallas, TX/Bryan Adams), whose high school in Dallas originated the idea when local grade school students expressed a need for newer clothes through embarrassment of their torn pants, shorts, and shirts. The high school students and staff organized a clothing drive every six weeks, and the students were able to "buy" clothes using $100 in play money.

Calvert is SAAC's community outreach officer, and she was the backbone in organizing the inaugural CareWears event at UB last spring. Last year, 12 students from West Hertel Academy were selected to participate. SAAC's goal is to keep expanding the CareWears program to help more students and to involve more UB student-athletes.

"Just like last year, our goals for the CareWears program include both the students of School 53 and the UB student-athletes having a great experience," said Kellie Peiper, UB's student-athlete services coordinator. "We want the children to walk away feeling like royalty. This is an opportunity for our student-athletes to give back to the community. Through this, they can realize how blessed they are."

04/22/2004