O-Heroes Program Honored with United Way's Volunteer Award
The University of Oregon’s O-Heroes program was recognized as the United Way of Lane County’s Organization/Team Volunteers of the Year at a luncheon Thursday at the Eugene Hilton.
The non-profit organization comprised primarily of the Ducks’ intercollegiate student-athletes was created in 2008 under the direction of the athletic department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and was designed to encourage the development of student-athletes outside of their competitive sports.
The honor was one of nine awards handed out Thursday by the United Way and the Register-Guard to recognize exemplary volunteer service in Lane County at its sixth-annual Volunteer of the Year awards luncheon.
Last year, Oregon student-athletes from 17 different teams contributed over 2,000 hours of community service in 150 community projects. Included among their efforts were helping Habitat for Humanity build houses, working Food for Lane County’s gardens, and speaking to over 20 local schools about health, education and goal setting activities.
Among several of the examples offered was the organization to collect food and supplies by five members of the Ducks’ football program for tsunami survivors in Samoa on Oct. 12, 2009. On Oct. 13, 127 students partnered with the United Way in a Live United service day to solicit cash donations on campus that resulted in an accumulation of $1,193.
Additional programs promoted by the O-Heroes volunteers include the Quackin’ Action interaction with local boys and girls within the community, as well as the Duckling program, which raises money for the expenses incurred by families with children battling serious illnesses.
Other agencies that have become involved with the university’s O-Heroes program include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley, the National Childhood Obesity Foundation, Kidsports, the Competition Not Conflict program as well as the school’s Holden Leadership Center.
The non-profit organization comprised primarily of the Ducks’ intercollegiate student-athletes was created in 2008 under the direction of the athletic department’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and was designed to encourage the development of student-athletes outside of their competitive sports.
The honor was one of nine awards handed out Thursday by the United Way and the Register-Guard to recognize exemplary volunteer service in Lane County at its sixth-annual Volunteer of the Year awards luncheon.
Last year, Oregon student-athletes from 17 different teams contributed over 2,000 hours of community service in 150 community projects. Included among their efforts were helping Habitat for Humanity build houses, working Food for Lane County’s gardens, and speaking to over 20 local schools about health, education and goal setting activities.
Among several of the examples offered was the organization to collect food and supplies by five members of the Ducks’ football program for tsunami survivors in Samoa on Oct. 12, 2009. On Oct. 13, 127 students partnered with the United Way in a Live United service day to solicit cash donations on campus that resulted in an accumulation of $1,193.
Additional programs promoted by the O-Heroes volunteers include the Quackin’ Action interaction with local boys and girls within the community, as well as the Duckling program, which raises money for the expenses incurred by families with children battling serious illnesses.
Other agencies that have become involved with the university’s O-Heroes program include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Emerald Valley, the National Childhood Obesity Foundation, Kidsports, the Competition Not Conflict program as well as the school’s Holden Leadership Center.
-- GoDucks.com --
