Between courses, homework, games and practices, Buffalo State student-athletes don’t get too much free time amidst their hectic weekly schedules.
That’s why it was such an accomplishment when nearly 150 student-athletes took time out of their lone day off of the week to participate in the annual 5K walk, “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” on Oct. 2 in downtown Buffalo.
“This was a very proud moment for Buffalo State,” said Meg Stevens, Assistant Director of Athletics for Student Services and head coach of the women’s lacrosse team. “Our athletes get one day off a week, and for them to take that day, get up early, and put other people before themselves is just huge.”
Despite poor weather that featured cold, rainy conditions, Bengals from every sport joined thousands of breast cancer survivors and their loved ones to raise money in the form of donations for the American Cancer Society and its research in breast cancer.
“All the student-athletes understood that this was bigger than them, and that says a lot,” Stevens said.
Getting student-athletes involved in the event was pushed for by the co-president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), Paige Ottaviano. Ottaviano plays on both the volleyball and lacrosse teams for Buffalo State. Her mother, Tracey, is a breast cancer survivor.
“It’s been in my family,” Ottaviano said of her personal motives for organizing the event. “It really hits close to home for me.”
SAAC is a committee made up of student-athletes that works with an executive board to provide insight on the typical student-athlete experience.
“We serve the student-athletes. We hear their concerns and come up with solutions to better their experience,” Ottaviano said. “Community service is an added bonus.”
SAAC has been pursuing added involvement by student-athletes in community service the past two years. More events that benefit the community have already been organized for this year. They will pair with the Special Olympics of Western New York for an event in November.
The committee has also hosted an annual “Kid’s Night Out” program for the past eight years, where student-athletes mentor young boys and girls from Buffalo Public Schools on techniques in various sports with a goal of instilling qualities of teamwork and sportsmanship in them.
“The SAAC boards for last year and this year met and decided that they really wanted to push for community service from the student-athletes,” Stevens said.
The walk, which began and ended in Niagara Square in downtown Buffalo, was a great start for SAAC in terms of community service.
According to Paul McGee, the Senior Director of Communications and Marketing in Western New York for the American Cancer Society, nearly 10,000 people participated in full and the walk raised almost $600,000.
“The spirit that student-athletes, particularly at Buffalo State, have shown is so encouraging and impressive,” McGee said. “The college is so engaged in the fight against all cancers and that is so important to us.”
Ottaviano noted that while SAAC encouraged donating to the American Cancer Society, their goal in coordinating the event was to get as many student-athletes to participate as they could – a goal she believes they met.
“It’s good to see the growing awareness concerning breast cancer and early screening and it was a great event to see how many survivors there are in the area,” Ottaviano said. “I am really proud of our student-athletes for turning out to support this great cause despite the weather.”
Tom Gallagher can be reached by email at Gallagher.record@live.com.