Whether volunteering at Fit Fest or the Facing Hunger Foodbank, the Marshall University women’s basketball team is assisting the Huntington community.
While half the team participated in the annual Fit Fest Sunday, an event to benefit the Paul Ambrose Trail for Health, the other half volunteered at the Facing Hunger Foodbank last week. At the foodbank, the team helped gather food for the organization’s Backpack Program, which ensures clients of all ages have access to enough food.
Norrisha Victrum, a senior guard for the Herd, said she and her teammates enjoyed helping the community.
“We split up in two groups,” Victrum said. “One group went to a foodbank, and my group went to Fit Fest. Fit Fest was for all ages. The kids were running 25 meters, 50 meters, 100 meters, one-half mile, one mile, and then after that, the parents ran the 10K.”
Victrum said she and her teammates also had the opportunity to participate in the action.
“We ran with some of the kids just to race against them and spice it up some,” Victrum said.
Bethany Williams, a representative for Fit Fest in West Virginia, said she was thrilled to see the team’s support.
“The women’s basketball team did a tremendous job encouraging all the children participating in the dashes, one-half mile and mile race,” Williams said. “They were able to help at the finish line of all the races, awarding all participants with ribbons and water.”
Williams said the team had a great impact on the event and those who attended.
“I heard a lot of good buzzing from all the parents and participants about how wonderful it was to have the girls come out and help, showing they too care about the community,” Williams said. “They were able to try some of the activities which would in turn encourage the children looking up to them to participate and try new activities.”
Williams said she believes the team benefits from the experience as well.
“The more they get out there and participate, the more the community will give back to them and support what they are trying to accomplish,” Williams said.
Victrum said the team emphasizes the importance of its fan base and focuses on creating a connection with the community.
“They’re our main fans,” Victrum said. “I mean win or lose they’re going to be in the stands. They’re still going to know who we are, and they’re still going to support us. Even when we didn’t have a good game, they’re still going to say ‘you had a good game.’ They always give us positive feedback, so I just think it’s good to give back to the people that show us support and are always there for us.”
Williams said she believes the impact of volunteering is something that will stick with the players for the rest of their lives.
“The more they get out and network, the more well-rounded as an individual they will become,” Williams said. “And the impact of that last far beyond their years at Marshall.”
Victrum said the volunteering experience was eye opening for her and her teammates because it is easy to take the simple things in life for granted.
“I think we benefited from this just by seeing how grateful we are and how blessed we are,” Victrum said. “These kids, this is something they really need. We’re really not struggling how other people are. Even though we probably don’t have like a thousand people at the games, people still know who you are and look up to you and think you’re the greatest person in the world. We are important around here, so I think that was an eye opener.”
Brittanie Fowler can be contacted at [email protected].