Christmas is a time for giving, and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee is never short of giving, as the organization spread joy and cheer by helping with Toys for Tots and a holiday version of the Just Read program at local elementary schools.

Earlier this school year, SAAC members solicited donations from their teammates in order to buy items for Toys for Tots. Coordinated by volleyball player Ellen Sawin, SAAC spent over $1,000 to purchase toys for donations. Student-athletes then purchased and delivered the toys. This is the fifth year that SAAC has been raising money for Toys for Tots.

Around 34 student-athletes also participated in the Just Read holiday reading on Wednesday after being coordinated by women’s cross country’s Shelby Cron and women’s soccer player Kellee Widener. SAAC traveled to Hebron Elementary to visit its kindergartners and first graders and Lodge Elementary to read to the first graders. The elementary students also had special visitors, as baseball players Keegan Dennis, Zach Taylor and Cody Fick dressed up as Purple Santa, Buddy the Elf and the Gingerbread Man, respectively, and women’s soccer play Chaviel Harrison went as Ace Purple. This year marked the second year of the holiday reading program for SAAC.

SAAC also participated in bell ringing for the Salvation Army outside of various Walgreens and Shnucks in Evansville earlier this month.

Click here to see pictures from the holiday events.