St. Andrews Wrestling Engages in Community Service All Year

LAURINBURG, N.C.—The St. Andrews Presbyterian College wrestling team completed nine community service projects for the 2008/09 academic year.

The Knights grapplers took on numerous volunteer projects throughout the year with the same heart and determination they did when they took the mat.

The St. Andrews wrestling team completed its ninth community service project at the Scotland Memorial Fund Run Festival in late April. The whole team, along with assistant coach Reuben Daniels and head coach Joe Baranik, all participated. The wrestling team was at the event at 6 a.m. and set up 10 tents and 10 tables before running the races. Freshman Mike Frazzitta (Fayetteville, N.C.) won the 10k race while classmate Dan Butcher (Westwood, N.J.) followed in third place. In the half marathon, junior Brad McKee (Kings Mountain, N.C.) placed third. Redshirt freshman Justin Hoover (Virginia Beach, Va.) also added a third place showing in the 5k run.

“I am so proud of my team for making the effort to get out of bed on a Saturday morning to help out at 6 a.m.,” said Coach Baranik. “Most of the team never ran a competitive road race and they loved it.”

Earlier in the week the SAPC wrestling team helped set up 1,000 chairs and a dozen tables for the annual John Blue Story Telling Festival to complete two community service projects in three days.

The St. Andrews wrestling team participated in a total of nine functions around the Laurinburg community. The Knights wrestlers helped with the Optimist Christmas Tree Sale by unloading a tractor and trailer full of Christmas trees and set them up to be sold. The team lent a hand with the Relay for Life event at Scotland High School by setting up 1,000 candles around the track and in the stands on a Friday night and then helped clean up on Saturday morning. The team parked cars for the annual hospital fundraiser and the John Blue Fall Festival. They assisted with moving and set up tables and chairs for the annual St. Mary’s Church picnic, helped serve food at Smithfield BBQ, and some members volunteer to umpire at the Optimist Club youth baseball and softball games.

“I give my guys credit for not only focusing on their academics, all the wrestling practices, weight lifting sessions, running and team travel, but they still make time to help in the local community,” concluded Baranik.