Vikings Earn Fourth Consecutive Community Service Award

CONTACT: Adam Sopris, a.sopris@hvcc.edu, (518) 629-7898
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Thursday, July 9, 2020

For a record fourth consecutive year, Hudson Valley Community College was named the recipient of the NJCAA Region 3 Community Service Award in recognition of the dedication and support the athletics department and the student-athletes have given to the local community during the 2019-2020 academic year. 

"It's a tremendous honor to receive the Region 3 Community Service Award again, and it's a true testament to our student-athletes," said Justin Hoyt, Athletic Director at Hudson Valley. "We put an emphasis on helping service our community and we hope to continue to foster those relationships in the Capital District and beyond."

The Vikings have participated in several community events like the Ronald McDonald House Charities and the continued their relationship with the Race Away Stigma 5K Race and Fun Walk as the Vikings volunteered with the race for the fourth straight year. 

The women's basketball team made a lasting commitment to the Troy Boys and Girls Club as they volunteered and dedicated themselves with weekly visits during the Fall 2019 semester. They assisted with homework, reading, writing and helped with after school snack time. 

The volleyball team continued an annual tradition as they held their Dig Pink Night, where the team collects door donations in an effort to join the national movement in raising awareness and funds to fight breast cancer. This year, the Vikings partnered with the Side-Out Foundation and had its most successful fundraising effort in the last four years as they raised $255 in front of a record crowd. The Vikings volleyball program also took time out of their schedule to dress up and volunteer at Hudson Valley's annual Pumpkin Palooza, a free public event to provide families a safe, friendly and festive environment for Halloween. 

The Vikings utilized the backdrop of NJCAA Day to implement a couple initiatives to give back to the campus and local Hudson Valley community. Members of the football team woke up early to assist the HVCC Facilities Department with their morning clean up before the rest of the campus community arrived for work and class. The team removed trash and excess debris from the campus parking lots, the parking garage and emptied trash cans throughout campus. 

Also, on NJCAA Day, the Vikings S.A.L.T. program (Student-Athletes Leading Together) set up for food and clothing donations in the Campus Center in support of Hudson Valley's food bank and the Riverview Missionary Baptist Church's clothing drive.

The baseball program volunteered to serve food and assist with the annual Thanksgiving Community Dinner, hosted each year by Hudson Valley alum, Rashad Barksdale in Hudson, NY. Barksdale, a former Vikings baseball player also made time to speak with the team about their goals and the importance of an education. 

The football program volunteered at the Green Tech High School and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity's Annual "Feed the Community Day" at Green Tech from 2-6 p.m. on Nov. 23. The Vikings took part in serving dinner, cleaning up tables and the cafeteria along with mingling with the local community.

Following a successful inaugural season in 2018, the S.A.L.T. club organized a campus-wide dodgeball tournament with the goal to raise money in order to participate in the Ronald McDonald House Charities Adopt-A-Family program. The student-athletes combined forces and raised $180, which went directly to help sponsor a family. 

The cross country team volunteered at the Northeastern Regional Food Bank, where they helped sort non-perishable food items as well as load and upload trucks filled with donated items. 

In addition to the annual Fall Fest and Spring Fest activities, the Vikings student-athletes volunteered at the Athletics Community Day on Jan. 25, 2020 where the Vikings revealed the department's new rebranded court and welcomed special guest Madison VanDenburg, American Idol finalist, who sang the National Anthem and greeted fans throughout the day.

Community Activities and organizations that HVCC student-athletes worked with in 2019-2020 include: 

Troy Boys and Girls Club

Race Away Stigma 5K Race and Fun Walk

Fall Fest Vikings Cup Challenge

Girls on the Run Half Marathon

Volleyball Dig Pink Night

NJCAA Day 2019

Pumpkin Palooza

Military Appreciation Day

Rashad Barksdale Annual Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner

Omega Psi Phi Annual Feed the Community Day

Boys and Girls Club of Southern Rensselaer County

Ronald McDonald House Charities 

Northeastern Regional Food Bank

HVCC Athletics Community Day