The Sinclair men’s basketball team served Thanksgiving dinner to the Dayton Boys & Girls Club on Tuesday, Nov. 20.
Head coach Jeff Price said this was the seventh year the team has helped with the annual dinner.
“It gives them [the kids] a chance to get up and close and see college basketball players,” Price said. “It gives our guys the chance to give back a little bit and be part of the community. Our moniker is to be great in the three C’s — community, classroom and competition. We won last night, we went to class today and community is this evening — all in a 24-hour timeframe.”
Price said the team plans on volunteering as long as the Boys & Girls Club will allow them.
“This will enrich their lives a lot further than they ever imagined,” Price said. “It’s service learning at its best.”
Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Club Natasha R. Spears said having Sinclair at the center is a great way to bridge the gap between academics and the community.
“No matter where you come from and what you do, there is always an opportunity for you to give back,” Spears said.
She said that having Sinclair at the center helps the kids who idolize sports figures see athletes in a more modest setting.
“A lot of these kids, when they see athletes, they see them on the field or court of their choice or they see them blinged-out, [in] Maybachs [or] Aston Martins — the extreme of wealth,” she said. “It’s not really often that they get to see athletes just giving back — serving them. That’s a very humble thing to serve someone. It really sets the tone for them to see a well-rounded athlete.”
She said the club was very thankful to have Sinclair Athletics help with the annual dinner.
Durand Capers, Sinclair alumnus and gym/athletics adviser at the Dayton Boys & Girls Club said that the center typically sees around 85 children and teens ages ranging from 5-17 each day. He said it was nice to see the kids and their families together at the center. He also said during the first few months of working at the Boys & Girls Club, he noticed how strong Sinclair’s bond is.
“Today is a beautiful day,” Capers said. “I started in September and this is the second or third time I’ve seen Sinclair here. I think they are doing a great job, especially with the community outreach.”
The Dayton Boys & Girls Club is located on 1828 W. Stewart St. and can be reached by phone at 262-8377.