MACON — For the third-consecutive year, Mercer University student-athletes have earned the top spot among its Atlantic Sun Conference cohorts as the best fund-raisers for charity.
Spearheaded by the Bears’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Mercer’s student-athletes raised a total of $3,484.75 in the A-Sun Conference’s fifth annual SAAC fundraising competition among the league’s 11 schools.
Overall, A-Sun student-athletes brought in a whopping $15,594.56 which benefits such charities as the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, LiveStrong, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, North Metro Miracle League, Youth Encouragement Services and the Ronald McDonald House.
“We are very proud of the hard work by the members of our SAAC committee and all of our student-athletes,” said MU director of athletics Bobby Pope. “Their efforts were exemplary and it shows by the fact that Mercer was able to lead this campaign, as well as doing so for a third-straight year. We take this competition very seriously, because we believe that the community and outreach efforts are a very big part of the overall education process.
“The best part about this type of ‘competition’ is that there truly are no losers. Several worthy charities all benefited from the money raised and all of the student-athletes are ‘winners’ simply by participating.”
Mercer University’s primary fund-raising effort is hosting an exhibition basketball game as a part of the “Coaches vs. Cancer” program.
The purpose of the SAAC is to promote and actively encourage the involvement of student-athletes on campus and in their communities, while allowing those student-athletes to have an open line of communication to voice their concerns to institutional administrations and the conference office.
“The student-athletes that comprise the A-Sun SAAC are the best of the best on their respective campuses and their desire to hold this fundraising competition annually is a testament to their character and to their desire to give back to their local communities,” said Atlantic Sun Senior Associate Commissioner/ Senior Woman Administrator Sherri Booker. “In the A-Sun as we work to ‘Build Winners for Life’ we are extremely proud of all student-athletes who contribute so much time and effort in organizing these fundraisers each year.”
