While most students returned home for Thanksgiving to celebrate the holiday with their families, members of the University of Dallas men’s basketball team ventured out into the community to help prepare meals for the less fortunate.
From about 7 to 9 in the morning, Head Coach Jarred Samples, his daughter and seven members of the team went to Joe’s Pizza Pasta and Subs in Carrollton to package Thanksgiving meals. The seven members of the team were juniors Scott Bolen, Logan Fruhwirth and John Russell and sophomores Joshua Nunn, Chance Lockhart, Phillip Ashton III and Michael Wambsganss.
“I was going to volunteer with my daughter, who is seven, and asked if anyone else was interested,” Samples said.
“Coach mentioned that he would be doing community service one day after practice and some of our returners thought it would be a great opportunity to get active in the community,” Nunn said.
At Joe’s, the team was divided into different groups to package, prepare and serve the Thanksgiving meal.
“My group for the first hour was in charge of separating the frozen turkey meat into grounded up turkey,” Nunn said. “The other guys were in charge of cutting pies, serving food and working in the assembly line of preparing meals. In the second hour, we were in charge of making the mashed potatoes and packaging up the corn and green beans. It was very fast paced due to the food being served at a rapid pace and all the visitors.”
The men’s basketball team helped make it possible for a few less fortunate people to join together with the millions across America to celebrate Thanksgiving with a celebratory meal. This service by the basketball team should be a reminder to all of us to be thankful for all the gifts we have been fortunate enough to have in our lives.
“Anytime you have the chance to help out those less fortunate and to serve your community, you take it, Nunn said. “Overall, it was a great experience, and it was great that part of our team was able to get out early Thanksgiving morning and give back to the community.”
“It was great experience to be able to give back and help others,” Samples said. “[It] helps put things in perspective and [is] a great learning lesson not just for my seven-year-old but for everyone. I was impressed with all the volunteers there giving their own time to help make sure others could have a Thanksgiving meal.”
