Baseball's McArthur Named To SEC Community Service Team
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 | Baseball
Florida senior Brandon McArthur (Seffner, Fla .) was named to the 2009 SEC Baseball Community Service Team announced on Tuesday for the second consecutive year. The SEC sponsors Community Service Teams for all 20 league-sponsored sports. The Community Service Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to his community in superior service efforts.
A finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, McArthur received a President's Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush's Council on Service and Participation which recognizes his contributions to the Gainesville community and demonstrating values that “make our nation strong in helping to build a culture of citizenship, service and responsibility in America.” President Bush wrote, “Your ability to overcome adversity is a testament to your character, and your compassionate efforts serve as an inspiration to others. You are making our Nation better and stronger, one person at a time.”
McArthur constantly lends his time and support to a variety of charitable causes. He has been a representative on Florida's Student-Athlete Committee (SAC) and is a frequent speaker at the Fellowship of Christian Athletes meetings. McArthur often visits the pediatric care unit at Shands Hospital (where he was a patient recovering from his life-threatening injuries) and has participated in wheel-chair basketball with Special Olympians. He spoke at “Youth Quake,” an organization that provides alternative Christian entertainment that confronts issues relevant to today's teenagers.
The Gators' starting third baseman, McArthur is hitting .320 with 33 runs batted in, 11 doubles and a pair of homers. He helped head coach Kevin O'Sullivan's squad to its first Eastern Division Championship in four years with a .310 clip and had 14 RBI and six two-baggers in league play. McArthur powered UF's offense with a team-best .545 (6-for-11) showing in the series sweep Alabama at the end of March. He had two hits in each contest versus the Crimson Tide and came through with a go-ahead, two-run single with two down in the seventh in the opener.
The rest of the 2009 SEC Baseball Community Service Team follows:
Kent Matthes, Alabama
The senior right fielder is one of the Crimson Tide's most accessible players and is constantly surrounded by children after each Alabama home game for autographs and photographs....He was a member of the 2008 SEC Baseball Community Service Team, following his junior season...Matthes led the team with more than 40 hours of community service this season and has logged more than 120 hours during his four-year career… The Crimson Tide baseball team posted more than 125 hours of community service this season...The team's main project took place at Cottondale Elementary School during an 11-week period from February 9 through April 20… Matthes and the Crimson Tide team participated in “Hit a Home Run by Reading Program.”… For 11 weeks, Matthes and other Tide players would read to the children at school and encourage their own reading program...At the end-of-the-year banquet, more than 75 children had achieved more than 100 points, which was the equivalent to more than 200 books read per child...Matthes also spent part of his 2009 Spring Break stressing the importance of academics and reading to Mrs. Ashley Frith's second-grade class at Taylorville Primary School.
Ben Tschepikow, Arkansas
Active participant in Book Hogs Reading Program...Assisted with Adopt a Street program...Member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee in 2008-09...Helped organize the raising of over $600 from the baseball to help four children in Fayetteville at Christmas...Visited the Homestyle Assisted Living Center for Thanksgiving Dinner.
Kris West, Auburn
Volunteer Firefighter/EMT for Monrovia Fire/Rescue... Participated in Fire Prevention Week at several Elementary Schools in the Huntsville area...Guest speaker at the Cal Ripken Jr. National Tournament Banquet along with Hunter Morris...Volunteered at Dean Road Elementary afterschool program for a semester...Delivered Christmas presents with the coaches...Participated in writing letters and delivering them to Miss Hardin's second-grade class at Moore's Mill Elementary...Baseball representative for SAAC...Visited the Auburn Little League parks and talked with young players...Handed out candy to kids visiting Plainsman Park during the week of Halloween...Participated in two charity “Fun Runs”.
Colby May, Georgia
In just his first year at Georgia, May has found time to contribute to the Athens community and the surrounding areas through various projects....He frequently speaks to high school students in Clarke and Oconee counties and has spoken as FCA rallies for area high schools...The Guyton, Ga., native has also volunteered at several youth camps in the Athens area.
Brock Wright, Kentucky
Service events include Breakfast with Santa… Visited elementary schools, including Breckinridge Elementary… Participated in the 2008 Salvation Army Red Kettle Campaign Bell Ringing...SEC Academic Honor Roll (2007-08)… Has played in 49 career games with 16 starts… As a freshman hit .242 in 30 games, totaling five homers, a double and a triple and 15 RBI… Drew 19 walks and stole 5-of-6 bases as a freshman… Named SEC Freshman of the Week during the 2007 season.
Louis Coleman, LSU
The senior pitcher is the leader of the Tigers' community service effort, frequently scheduling visits on his own to schools and hospitals...Coleman regularly participates in children's hospital visits in the Baton Rouge area, meeting with patients and their families...Participated in Hurricane Gustav relief work, where he picked up debris throughout the Baton Rouge area...He spoke to students at Cohn Elementary School about “growing up fit together” and increasing their awareness about the dangers of obesity...Coleman participated this year in the ALS Walk on the LSU campus – the two-mile walk was conducted to raise money and promote awareness of Lou Gehrig's Disease...He also takes part in the Buddy Walk, a event designed to promote awareness and acceptance of people with Down's Syndrome...Is annually involved with the Halloween “Boozar” at LSU – he and his teammates dress in Halloween costumes and pass out candy to kids in the Baton Rouge community...He also engineered the baseball team's Christmas "Adopt A Child" program - the entire team raised money so that an underprivileged family could provide gifts for their child.
Zach Miller, Ole Miss
Miller has been very active in the Ole Miss and Oxford communities as a visible contributor to many service projects... From regular visits to St. Jude Children's Hospital throughout the years to participating in local outreach programs like “Reading With The Rebels,” Miller has been very active in the local community... Miller has also participated in the SEC “Together We Can” Canned Food Drive and has helped participate in the Rebel Re-Run program to collect athletic shoes for youth in Kenya...He has also been an active member of the Student-Athlete Advisory committee.
Tyler Whitney, Mississippi State
Three-time SEC Academic Honor Roll selection...Active participant in the MSU M-Club's annual Thanksgiving canned food drive, collecting, sorting and then distributing food to needy families in the Starkville area...Took part in the “Bully's Book Blitz” program sponsored by the MSU M-Club, encouraging the development of reading skills among students at Starkville's Ward-Stewart Elementary School...Served as vice-president of MSU's M-Club (letterman's organization) in 2008-09 and was elected president for 2009-10.
Jay Brown, South Carolina
Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Midlands Reading Consortium, Harvest Hope/SEC Food Drive, Elementary school visits, and relief efforts in Louisiana for Hurricane Katrina Victims, Martin Luther King, Jr. Service Event where Brown actually helped to coordinate the all-day event...Team captain for the baseball team, the Brad Davis SEC Male Community Service Scholarship representative for USC… Received the President's Award for USC, which is the most prestigious award given out by the Athletic Department to a senior student-athlete who displays extraordinary talents in the areas of athletics, scholarship, leadership and service.
Michael Moore, Tennessee
Participated in Light the Night for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society...Assisted with awarding/recognizing cancer survivors in Buddy's BBQ Race for the Cure...Part of SAAC Holiday Dinner and SEC Can Food Drive...Helped purchase Christmas gifts for Teams for Tots...Participated in Knoxville Park and Recs Clinic...Part of SAAC Hot Chocolate and Popsicles Event...Assisted in set-up process of Career Fair...Read to students at local Norwood Elementary School.
Jonathon White, Vanderbilt
Committee member of Athletes Against Assault… Participant in “Take Back the Night” in March which helped raise awareness of violence against women...Participated in “Clothesline Project”, which helped unify women emotionally who have experienced violence...Participant in “These Hands Don't Hurt,” an organization that gives men a chance to show to their peers that violence is never a tactic in solving a dispute.
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