Grace House fundraiser helps bring Tommies community together

Sports are about competing, working hard, and trying to come out on top. Athletes step onto the ice or court aiming to make a key play, score when it matters, or give their best effort.

But sports can also mean more than what happens in a game. Athletes often set aside their equipment to support and give back to their communities.

Students on the nine St. Thomas University (STU) Tommies teams did just that last week. The squads came together to hold a bake sale in support of Grace House. Grace House is a women’s shelter located in downtown Fredericton.

The teams also accepted donations of feminine hygiene products.

Students and staff had the opportunity to donate items at the bake sale. A table was also set up at the Women’s hockey game on Nov 22 against the UPEI Panthers for fans to show their support.

Katie Sweeney is the president of the STU Student-Athlete Advisory Group (SAAG). Her role in the group focuses on how the athletics community can make a difference in the community.

She is aided in her role by her teammate and vice president, Chloe Marshall.

Sweeney said there is a “lot of history” behind the Grace House fundraiser. STU’s Women’s Hockey team were the ones who historically held bake sales for the local organization.

This year, the fifth-year goaltender wanted to see if other teams could join her in raising funds for an important cause in the community.

Sweeney and the group raised $600 for Grace House in the bake sale. That number was doubled from what her team made last year. STU also brought in four boxes of donated hygiene items.

“The fundraiser was successful in the past. And we really enjoyed helping the community of Fredericton and those different individuals,” she said. “And it meant a lot to us.”

Sweeney saw the Grace House bake sale as something that could get the athletes working together towards a common goal. This was because the event brought together players from different teams working on mixed schedules.

As the bake sale went on, she saw the athletes and teams interacting with one another on an increased level.

The cohesion between the players was also on display during the baking stage of the event. Each team was tasked with making baked goods for the event. Some teams made brownies, while others made cookies and cupcakes.

At the same time, some players took things a step further. They made treats that were peanut free or gluten free. Having these treats allowed everyone to support Grace House and have something to eat at the bake sale.

Sweeney thought having everyone involved helped open “a lot of different doors.”

“I think it's important for STU to be working together as a group...We're able to see what is possible when we all work together for specific fundraisers,” she said. “And it also showed us our reach and what we're able to accomplish when we all work together, because it can be very successful when everybody participates and gives it their all.”

Katie Vidito, a fourth year forward on the STU Women’s Basketball team, was moved by the actions of the group. She felt that supporting an organization beneficial to the community was of the “utmost priority.” STU SAAG emphasized their commitment to supporting the community at their first meeting in September.

“Holding a fundraiser for Grace House was something we knew would be crucial because we can help in the operation of the establishment,” she said. “Fundraising for the Grace House represents our support for local organizations that operate for very essential reasons.”

Vidito felt the fundraiser brought together the athletics community. The event displayed a certain sense of unity between everyone who wears green and gold.

At the same time, hosting the bake sale and hygiene drive on campus helped the group bring the STU community together for a common cause. The group was able to tell students and staff about Grace House, and why athletics chose to support the shelter.

“Each member of the STU Student Athlete Advisory Group feels that the Grace House is an important cause,” she said. “And it is motivating as a group member to collaborate with people who want to help the local community.”

Aidan Lavery is another active member of the STU SAAG group. His role requires him to step in as president when Sweeney and Marshall are away traveling for hockey. He is also a third year left back for the STU Men’s Soccer team.

Lavery was equally impressed by the way STU Athletics came together to host the bake sale and support a common cause. Hosting the event sent a message from the teams to the fans.

He felt the message was that STU is a very “community oriented and based team,” one that wants to give back to the community any way they can.

He called working with the other teams to run the bake sale a “fun bonding experience.”

“Very rarely are there opportunities for all nine teams to work together here at STU. Everyone has different schedules,” said Lavery. “So, any opportunity we have to all work together for one cause, I think it's good that we take advantage of that.”

All three athletes hope the Grace House fundraiser will continue going forward. The group has already received feedback from people to say how much they enjoyed the event and what they can do to improve it in the future.

“I hope that this can maybe become a yearly or twice a year thing, keep this tradition happening,” said Lavery. “And it just gets bigger and better every year with more awareness.”

By: Leo Czank