Student-athletes leading fundraisers, charity drives to benefit many different causes
The girls swim and dive team held a car wash fundraiser in August to help buy video equipment for the new pool. Often the beneficiaries of teams' efforts are outside organizations, such as Schools Count Corp., which was the benefactor of the soccer team's KICK fundraiser last month. (file photos)
Attending a sporting event at Hinsdale Central High School isn't the only way to support a student-athlete - or a good cause.
Many Red Devil teams make it a practice to hold annual fundraisers or drives to benefit causes close to members' hearts. Since the start of the school year, the cheerleaders have held a fundraiser at Fuller House, the girls swim and dive team held a car wash at the school, the boys and girls golf teams held a food drive for HCS Family Services and the boys soccer team hosted its annual KICK charity event.
The Sept. 15 event took two to three weeks to organize, soccer team co-captain Austen Szurgot said this week. The event invites students in the Central soccer program - from freshmen to seniors - to compete on a two- to three-person team in a double-elimination soccer tennis tournament.
"It's almost like a March madness type bracket," Szurgot said. "It provides an opportunity to get to know your teammates."
Even though the games lasted only six minutes, the number of teams entered made for a rather lengthy competition.
"It did take a while, but we came to the end," Szurgot said.
The winners were senior Martin Contreras and junior Matt Gantar, who each won a Chipotle gift cart.
Players enjoyed pizza donated by Domino's and drinks provided by the Hinsdale Central Booster Club. With players paying $20 per person and donations from soccer team alums, the event raised more than $2,000 for Schools Count Corp., with expenses coming in around $600, Szurgot said.
Schools Count was founded by former Hinsdale Central soccer coach Dick Flesher and provides all kinds of assistance - from school supplies to winter coats - to students in need in Chicago and those in other areas hit by disasters.
"It's just a great event to give back to people in need," Szurgot said.
Helping underprivileged youth and their family is the reason the Hinsdale Central football program is hosting a charity bike drive from noon to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, in the school's senior parking lot.
The club is asking for donations of gently used bikes to donate to Building Brighter Futures, which serves youth and their families in the North Lawndale community.
Junior football player Tommy Willet is organizing the event with help from his teammates and other friends.
"We've kind of heard of other projects in the state where people would collect bikes and donate them. We thought that our area - especially Hinsdale - would be a great area to do so."
Tommy's mom, Sarah, had visited Building Brighter Futures and suggested the agency as a recipient for the donated bikes.
The group hopes to collect 150 bikes. Willet emphasized they should be gently used and must be safe to ride.
"We don't want any bikes with missing wheels or anything like that," he said.
Other than that, there are no restrictions.
"Kid bikes, adult bikes, anything is good," he said.
Central athletic director Mike Jezioro said the coaches and student-athletes at the school love to give back.
"Most of our student-athletes understand that they are in a fortunate position to do what they do on the athletic field, and it's always good to give back to the community or a cause that needs support," Jezioro said.
He encourages coaches and students to take advantage of opportunities to make a difference off the field when they can, but he knows that's not always easy.
"Our kids get pulled in a lot of directions, so it's hard to organize these," he noted. "I think when our teams and our kids and our coaches get the opportunity to raise funds for a cause or do a bike drive, they are 100 percent on board with those things."
Giving back makes people feel good, he added - and can help give athletes a sense of control that they don't always have while competing.
"They can control giving back. Sometimes they can't control if they are going to win or lose," Jezioro said.
Participating in philanthropic efforts also gives the community a chance to see athletes in a different arena.
"Any type of community service or fundraising for causes always shines a good light on our kids and it shows them in a different way," he said.
