Student Athlete Academic Center: Cajuns Claim Sun Belt’s October Community Service Award

LAFAYETTE – The Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns are winners of the Sun Belt Conference Community Service Award for the month of October. The honor was announced by the conference on Thursday.
 
The Sun Belt Conference Community Service Initiative is a yearlong competition between the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) programs on each campus.  The program is designed to encourage student-athletes to take a continuous role in community service throughout the academic year.
 
Points for the award are based on service activities, donations, and time committed towards different types of community service projects.
 
Each month the institution with the highest point total is named the monthly champion. Schools earn points toward the award’s overall standings based on their finish each month. The institution that earns the most points during the 2016-17 academic year will be named the Sun Belt Conference Community Service Award Winner for the year. Currently, Louisiana is tied for first place in the overall competition along with UTA.
 
Over the month of October, Ragin’ Cajuns student-athletes did a tremendous job of reaching out in the community and giving back, resulting in a total of 15,349 points. Louisiana finished 2,000-plus points ahead of the next closest competitor (Coastal Carolina – 13,343 points).
 
The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee partnered with Sodexo to conduct a Gumbo fundraiser the Friday prior to the nationally televised ESPN2 broadcast of Ragin’ Cajuns football game against Appalachian State. SAAC raised $1,700 all of which was donated to Extra Yard for Teachers. Through Extra Yard for Teachers, SAAC chose five classroom projects to help fund around the community. 
 
Later in the month, student-athletes visited Women’s & Children’s Hospital and Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Centers for SAAC’s annual Halloween Hospital visit.  The student-athletes handed out goodie bags and Ragin’ Cajuns water bottles to each patient visited, in hopes of raising their spirits and putting a smile on their face.
 
Other Ragin’ Cajuns-related community service projects in October included:

• Second Harvest Canned Food Drive
• Baseball volunteered with the Studs & Stilettos fundraiser benefitting Hearts of Hope
• Toiletry item donation to St. Joseph’s Diner
• Women’s Tennis volunteered with the ALS Walk 
• Softball competed in Peoples Health Supermarket Sweep at Albertson’s

For the latest news and more information on Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Athletics visit RaginCajuns.com. Fans can also follow along on Facebook (/RaginCajunsAthletics),Twitter (@ULRaginCajuns) and Instagram (@ULRaginCajuns).
 
October Community Service Initiative Point Totals
1. Louisiana – 15,349
2. Coastal Carolina – 13,343
3. Texas State – 12,489
4. UTA – 10,988
5. Arkansas State – 10,035
6. South Alabama – 3,613
7. Troy – 3,493
8. ULM – 1,796
9. Georgia Southern – 1,209
10. Appalachian State – 228
11. Georgia State – 0
12. Little Rock – 0
 
Community Service Initiative Overall Standings
1. Louisiana – 50
2. UTA – 50
3. South Alabama – 38
4. Coastal Carolina – 35
5. Texas State – 27
6. Little Rock – 26
7. ULM – 23
8. Arkansas State – 18
9. Georgia Southern – 17
10. Georgia State – 14
11. Troy – 13
12. Appalachian State – 6