NORFOLK, Va. – The Norfolk State athletics department compiled more than 340 community service hours at more than a handful of events during the first month of school.

Spartan student-athletes lent a helping hand at the Ronald McDonald House, the Sickle Cell Walk and even adopted a street for the year that they will clean once a month. NSU is well on the way to its goal for the entire school year.

“We want to complete at least 1,000 hours of community service this year,” said Jacqueline Nicholson, Assistant AD for Academic Support. “It is important for our student-athletes to give back to the community.”

The Spartans first volunteered at the Food Bank of Southeastern Virginia on Aug. 23. Members of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) spent time on their Saturday off helping to unload the delivery truck and stock the shelves of the food bank.

A week later out at Virginia Beach, NSU volunteered at the Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. Players assisted in starting the race as well as with the timing at the end. They also handed out medals to participants after the race was over.

The very next day on Aug. 31, more than two dozen players handed out school supplies to kids in the community at the Crestor Health Back-to-School event at Lafayette Park in Norfolk.

Softball was up next on Sept. 8, when players cooked dinner at the Ronald McDonald House for families with children at the Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters.

Then last Saturday, student-athletes volunteered with the Sickle Cell Walk at Dick Price Stadium on the campus of Norfolk State. They assisted with various aspects of the walk, including setting up beforehand, handing out water, and everything else associated with the actual running of the event put on by the Hampton Roads Chapter of the Sickle Cell Association, Inc.

Men’s track and field was also out on Saturday as the first athletics team to take part in the Adopt-a-Spot program. This year, NSU has adopted Mapole Ave., from Corprew Ave. next to campus to Princess Anne Rd. A different team or teams will venture out once a month to pick up trash and other assorted items off the ground. After cleaning the street four different times, the city of Norfolk will then put up a sign that the street has been adopted by NSU athletics.