Softball's Enea Wins Alachua County's 'Work of Heart' Award
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 | Softball
University of Florida senior Francesca Enea (Woodland Hills, Calif.) was honored with the Alachua County Work of Heart Award for a Collegiate Individual on Tuesday night. The 38th Annual Work of Heart Awards banquet presented 17 awards to Alachua County residents, groups and organizations that chose to make a difference in their community through volunteerism over the past year.
As a four-year member of Goodwill Gators, Enea performed over 600 hours of community service. She created and organized charitable events such as Swing for Cancer, a fund-raising event which Florida student-athletes tried to hit against Florida's All-American softball pitchers in order to promote awareness and aide in the research to cure cancer. The All-American has also served as the co-chairman of Gator Tracks, a program aiming to provide new shoes to children in need, Climb for Cancer Sport Camps, a day when children with cancer are invited to play with current and former Gators, and participates in Baby Gator, an activity demonstrating to preschoolers how to play softball.
Enea has developed and maintained several relationships with patients in local hospitals. This past fall, the left fielder implemented the idea to 'adopt' a 13-year-old cancer survivor through the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ). The FOJ program pairs children diagnosed with pediatric brain tumors with collegiate and high school athletic teams in hopes to expand the loving network of support and friendship for the child and their family.
“What athletes need to know is that the community supports us through attendance at events and we have an obligation to give back to the community in some way,” Enea said. “The community is part of our team. Getting involved with the community is more than just a good deed, it's a judge of character, and it's more than just a good feeling it is reaching out to someone who is reaching for help. Participating in community service helps us as individuals to grow and develop. It is good for us to step out of our role as leader on the field to leader in the community.”
This is Enea's second Work of Heart honor. In 2009, she accepted the award for a Collegiate Group as a part of CAMP (Collegiate Achievement Mentoring Program) Gator and now serves as the lead mentor. The program is an innovative mentoring and leadership program that partners students from P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School and the University of Florida, giving them the opportunity to learn, grow and lead together.
Enea has also been selected as a finalist for the LOWE's Senior CLASS Award, an honor which recognizes student-athletes for their achievements in competition and the community.
For more information on the Work of Heart awards, please visit http://workofheartawards.com/.
