Duke Athletics Enjoys a Week of Giving Back to the Community

From tutoring to distributing food to exercise, the annual Week of Service event drew 111 volunteers

A group of Duke students and young children in a circle
Student-athletes from the Duke cheerleading team volunteer at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties.

More than 100 members of the Duke athletics community volunteered their time to a dozen Durham organizations as part of the recent Duke Athletics Week of Service.

The annual event drew 111 volunteers — including 69 student-athletes and 42 athletics staff members — who collectively contributed 233.5 hours of service. Participating athletes came from a variety of programs, including Men’s Soccer, Swimming & Diving, Track & Field, Volleyball, Band, and Cheer. 

Volleyball student-athlete Lauren Ingram assisted in the afterschool program at The Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties, helping children with homework. She said of the experience: “The children look up to us, so this is really impactful to serve as a role model for them.”

A Snapshot of What the Volunteers Did:

  • Delivered 42 routes for Meals on Wheels, providing meals to seniors in Durham;
  • Taught financial literacy to students and younger community members;
  • Wrote more than 130 cards and visited with patients at Duke Cancer Center;
  • Built picnic tables at Root Causes;
  • Added compost to 13 beds and sorted two large bins of spinach at Duke Campus Farm;
  • Supported more than 100 students through after-school tutoring and mentorship;
  • Volunteered at a food pantry.
Lauren Ingram, a senior on the Duke volleyball team, helps children with their homework at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties.
Grace Thrower, left, a redshirt junior, and Mailinh Godschall, a junior, both on the Duke volleyball team, enjoy a dance competition at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Durham and Orange Counties.

Sydney Tomlak, a member of the Duke Volleyball team, spent a morning distributing food at the Durham Community Food Pantry on Chapel Hill Road. She chose to do so because it was a volunteer opportunity she had not done previously.

“I feel like it's always important to give back to wherever you are and to give something, put something into it,” said Tomlak, a Michigan native. “And the Durham community has given me so much. So it’s nice to get back.”

The need is great. The pantry serves between 400 and 500 families a week in three shifts, and most of its volunteers are affiliated with Duke, said Sue Williams McKissick, the pantry director.

Men's soccer team members volunteer at the Duke Campus Farm. Photo by Trey Hicks
Sarah Mubenga-Dezeme, a program coordinator for Iron Dukes, hands off a cart of food to Allen Taylor of Durham at the Durham Community Food Pantry.

“Food insecurity is the primary problem, not just with subgroups but with middle-class families,” McKissick said.  “I've been director for 3-and-a-half years, and right now, most of my volunteers are from Duke. Duke med students, students, interns, college students … So, Duke has always been instrumental in supporting us and in the community.”

Aridon Racaj was among the men's soccer team members who volunteered at the Duke Campus Farm.

“It was great for the team to spend some time together outside of soccer and give back to the community at the same time,” he said. “I think we all got a better appreciation for the work that goes into growing food, and it was a fun experience overall." 

In all, Duke Athletics volunteered with Meals on Wheels Durham three times this current academic year, bringing meals to homebound senior citizens. 

“Through three engagements in a single year, Duke Athletics directly contributed to ensuring that vulnerable seniors received consistent access to nutritious meals and essential food resources,” said Nia Richardson, director of communications and community engagement with Meals on Wheels. “Their sustained commitment reflects a meaningful investment in the health and well-being of Durham's aging population."