by Sam Atkinson (Gallaudet University/Chair of the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee)
CoSIDA Goodwill Committee announces details on 5K run/walk, donation drive at Marco Island
CHECK BACK for photos & results of this event!
The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Goodwill Committee is excited to announce details on a new 5K run/walk event that will take place
Sunday, June 26, from 8-9:30 a.m. at the CoSIDA Convention being held at Marco Island from June 26-30.
For the second year in a row, the committee will run a clothing/toiletry donation drive during registration at the convention that will benefit St. Matthew’s House in Naples, Fla. Details on both ‘CoSIDA Cares’ events and the annual Goodwill Committee meeting at the convention are below.
CoSIDA 5K Run/Walk
Over the past year, the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee has included health into its mission in addition to service and outreach. The committee discussed last year the need to focus on the health and wellness of Sports Information Directors and how an event at the convention could benefit us all. With that in mind, the committee suggested a 5K run/walk to the CoSIDA Executive Board, which supported the measure and has helped finance the event through the event planners at the Marriott.
“The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee wants to graciously thank the CoSIDA Executive Board for its support on the 5K run/walk idea,” said CoSIDA Goodwill Committee Chair Sam Atkinson, Sports Information Director at Gallaudet University. “We felt this event would be a great way to get the convention kicked off on the right foot. It is important to stress to our colleagues the importance of exercise and taking care of yourself. This is a great opportunity for all of us to get out from the computers and smart phones and enjoy a hour on the beach running or walking with our families and friends.”
The 5K run/walk is open to all CoSIDA Convention attendees along with their spouses, friends and children. The run/walk will take place on the beach at the resort and will be set-up by the Marriott staff. Water - and numbers for runners - will be supplied throughout the course for all to stay hydrated.
The registration cost for all runners and walkers will be a small donation to St. Matthew’s House: $5 for one person or $10 for a family.
One hundred percent of the proceeds will go directly to St. Matthew’s House. Please bring cash or a check made out to St. Matthew’s House to the 5K run/walk. All participants are asked to meet at the beach on Sunday morning at the wedding gazebo on the north end of the beach.
The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee will run check-in at 7:30 a.m. at the start/finish line with a scheduled run/walk start time of 8 a.m. Prizes will be awarded for the top male and female finishers.
To help the committee plan for the 5K run/walk, please pre-register via e-mail to Sam Atkinson at sam.atkinson@gallaudet.edu with your name, school and how many participants.
Donation Drive for St. Matthew's House
The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee is proud to run its second annual donation drive for a local charity during CoSIDA registration. This year the donations will help benefit
St. Matthew’s House in Naples, Fla., a non-profit entity that has been housing and feeding the homeless since 1987.
Donations will be collected at the Goodwill Committee table during registration on Sunday, June 26, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
After speaking with representatives at St. Matthew’s House here is what they are in the most need of: clothing – shirts, shoes, jackets and particularly men’s shoes; toiletries – travel-size shampoo, lotions, soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, disposable razors and shaving cream. Monetary donations will also be accepted.
Last year in San Francisco, the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee collected over 400 items from convention attendees, which included a large donation from the 2010 BCS National Championship game courtesy of the Rose Bowl. In addition,
Young CoSIDA ran a charity raffle that brought in over $400 and an additional check made the total $515 donated to the St. Anthony’s Foundation, an organization that serves the homeless and needy.
“We wanted to continue to give back to our convention host city and after researching the region we found St. Matthew’s House to be the best fit for us to leave a positive mark,” said CoSIDA Goodwill Committee Vice-Chair Ryan Klinkner, Athletic Media Relations Director at Saint John’s University (Minn.). “We got the ball rolling last year in San Francisco and we strive to make this donation drive a yearly event for CoSIDA.”
Due to transportation and logistics, a volunteer service project was not feasible at St. Matthew’s House this year, but the committee will have a service project next year in St. Louis. The committee encourages all CoSIDA members to get involved back home on your campus or in your community.
The mission of St. Matthew’s House (SMH) is to change lives in a spiritual environment that is both compassionate and disciplined, as well as providing housing for the homeless and food for the needy. SMH, a non-profit entity, along with Immokalee Friendship House has been serving the homeless, hungry and hopeless since 1987. SMH is the only emergency housing and recovery program in Collier County, offering 170 beds for men, women, and families. Serving meals at the Old Firehouse, SMH is the only feeding ministry in Naples, as well as operating three thrift stores, two food pantries, Wolfe Apartments transitional affordable housing and a direct assistance program to individual and families in need. For more information about the St. Matthew’s House please log onto its website
www.stmatthewshouse.org or call 239.774.0500.
Goodwill Committee Meeting
The CoSIDA Goodwill Committee will meet as a committee in Marco Island on Sunday, June 26, at 11 a.m., for those interested in attending. For more information about the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee or if you are interested in joining the committee, please contact Sam Atkinson (
sam.atkinson@gallaudet.edu) or Ryan Klinkner (
rklinkner@csbsju.edu).