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Gallaudet Sports Information Director Sam Atkinson organizes 5K run/walk at CoSIDA convention, helps to raise $1,600 for St. Matthew's House
MARCO ISLAND, Fla. – Gallaudet University Sports Information Director Sam Atkinson recently returned from Marco Island, Fla., the site of the 2011 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) convention, where he planned and organized a 5K run/walk event and clothing drive to benefit St. Matthew’s House, an organization which serves the homeless and needy in Naples, Fla.
Atkinson, the national chair of CoSIDA’s Goodwill Committee for the past four years, and his wife Emily represented Gallaudet at the 5K run/walk event where the Goodwill Committee along with the Marriott recreation staff helped with registration and running the event. Ninety-six runners participated in the event on the opening morning of the convention on June 26. The first-ever 5K run/walk sponsored by CoSIDA raised $700 for St. Matthew’s House as each runner paid a nominal entry fee.
“We have a great spirit of community and service in our CoSIDA organization, and the efforts in Marco Island to combine a wellness/fitness event along with charity donations was outstanding,” noted outgoing CoSIDA President Larry Dougherty from Temple University. “There’s a tremendous amount of preparation, organization and passion which goes into holding a 5K run and raising charitable dollars and gathering donations. The CoSIDA leadership once again is grateful to the Goodwill Committee, particularly to Chair Sam Atkinson and vice-chair Ryan Klinkner (St. John’s Minn.), for their great efforts in Marco Island. We also thank the Young CoSIDA group for their generosity and hard work in raising funds as well for St. Matthew's House.”
In addition to the 5K run/walk the Goodwill Committee ran a successful donation drive for a second consecutive year as over 100 items of clothing, toiletries and shoes were dropped off for St. Matthew’s House. The Goodwill Committee also partnered with Young CoSIDA for their annual charity auction that brought in a record $900 for a total of $1,600 donated to St. Matthew’s House.
Under the leadership of Atkinson and Klinkner the CoSIDA Goodwill Committee has raised nearly $2,500, donated over 500 items and committed 80 community service hours in three years. The past service projects took place at the San Antonio Food Bank (2009) and St. Anthony Foundation in San Francisco (2010). The committee hopes to return the service project in 2012 when the CoSIDA convention heads to St. Louis and organize another 5K run/walk and donation drive.
“For a first-time event it was fantastic to have nearly 100 people participate in the CoSIDA 5K run/walk. My wife and I were proud to volunteer our time and represent Gallaudet University to help St. Matthew’s House,” said Atkinson. “As a committee we have been stressing health as a big goal so we felt it was important to hold an event like this to get SIDs moving and thinking more about their health. We hope to continue our Goodwill and Health initiatives next year.”
For their efforts CoSIDA and the Goodwill Committee were featured recently by the NCAA on its website and its daily e-mail newsletter. CoSIDA.com also ran a lengthy recap on the Goodwill Committee’s work at the convention.
About CoSIDA
CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America) was
founded in 1957 and currently is a 2,700-plus member national
organization comprised of the sports public relations,
communications and information professionals throughout all levels
of collegiate athletics in the United States and Canada. The
2010-11 academic year marked the 60th year of the organization. The
association is designed to help the athletic media relations and
communications professionals at all levels. It is the desire of the
members to have the profession take its rightful place on the
decision-making levels of college athletics. For more information
please visit www.cosida.com.
About St. Matthew’s House
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.
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