Louisville senior named Volunteer of the Month

RELEASED: Oct. 5, 2006

DANVILLE, KY—Eric Hack, a senior from Louisville, has been chosen Volunteer of the Month for September.

"[Eric] organized the cross country team during one of their free Saturdays to work at a camp that Big Brothers and Big Sisters are building outside of Nicholasville [Ky.]," says Patrick Noltemeyer, coordinator for volunteer services. "The students graded land, moved rocks and worked on preparing the inside of the new building for painting."

Hack was taken aback by the recognition.

"Wow, I'm honored and very surprised, honestly," says Hack. "I feel as if being a part of competitive athletics can, in some ways, be a very selfish endeavor at times, although there's a lot of focus on team building, especially in a sport like cross country. Training at a high level with such a good team can be very time consuming and therefore often has a tendency to leave little time to stop and consider helping out other people."

Hack credits Centre for introducing him to the rewards of service.

"I really got into volunteering as part of the service plunge here at Centre. Frankly, before that time, I'd never really considered volunteering because I didn't think I had enough time, nor did I believe that it would be fulfilling.  I was quite wrong.  I've learned this year that helping your fellow man is a way to feel truly more complete as a human being."

The Big Brothers Big Sisters camp will serve as a resource for all big and little pairs to experience the outdoors in a safe environment. Other groups from Centre College, including CORS (Centre Outdoor Recreation and Service), have helped prepare the camp to welcome participants.

"Service can be an important element of team development and I believe that the cross country team will be stronger as a result of their work together," said Noltemeyer. "Many students would choose to sleep in or relax on the one Saturday they have off from competition, but the cross country team saw this as an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of children in the Bluegrass."

"Volunteering to help the community is one of the few situations in life to which it is nearly impossible to find a downside," Hack said.  "It's a thoroughly enriching and fulfilling experience for all parties involved.

"This year the cross country team is the most tightly-knit group I've ever had the joy of knowing and I definitely feel as if the service we have done is a part of that growth together."

The volunteer award program at Centre recognizes some of the many students who provide service to the local community. Each year, around 60 percent of all Centre students become community volunteers. The College encourages volunteerism with a community service day each year as part of the orientation for first-year students.

- end -

Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.