By Nicholas Gallo, Staff Writer
The Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is hosting Operation Christmas Child in The McGinley-Carney Center building in the great room.
Nicole Antonacci, a junior psychology major, is the current president of FCA.
Antonacci loves the group because it gives people a support system that she didn’t have her freshman year.
Antonacci said, despite the club’s name, it is not just for athletes.
“We like to say we are all on the same team because we are all competing for something whether it’s in the classroom or on the field,” said Antonacci. “We are all athletes for Christ; competitors for Christ.”
Antonacci said the event involves gift wrapping shoe boxes.
She said the club asks everyone to bring shoe boxes with gifts inside them and everyone who attends to wrap presents.
She said music and cookies will also be at the event for participants, as it will be a good opportunity for people to enjoy good fellowship and service.
“After everything is wrapped, we send the gifts to different locations,” said Antonacci. “This year we are sending the gifts to an orphanage in Russia, Women and Children’s Hospital in Buffalo, the Brain Mormon P.U.N.T Foundation and Stone Buddies.”
According to the P.U.N.T. Foundation website, the mission is to provide children affected by cancer and their families with opportunities and support to enjoy the life for which they fight so hard.
She said in the past they have sent gifts to India and Mexico.
The project started a few years ago with the Athletics Department. She believes that using the gifts the school gives to the athletes and giving it back to the community is a positive.
“In the past, we’ve mainly been with athletics, but this year we are doing as much as we can to spread out to all students,” Antonacci said. “Our public relation person has been doing an amazing job spreading the word around campus.”
Antonacci said the entire men’s and women’s tennis teams, some golfers, some baseball players, the softball team, the women’s soccer team and women’s lacrosse team will be attending the event.
She said the Love Your Melon group will also be in attendance.
“They have been a wonderful help,” said Antonacci about the Love Your Melon club. “They will be donating accessories to put in all the boxes.”
She believes this year is different than other years because they are trying to open the event to the entire campus and broaden their reach.
Antonacci said the purpose of the project is to give children who don’t receive presents a happy Christmas. She believes Christmas is a special holiday for many families, but it’s easy to forget that for many other families that it’s also one of the hardest times of the year.
She said there are kids watching their friends receiving gifts and their parents are worried that they won’t be able to make their kids happy or make ends meet.
“Especially what is going on in the world today, it’s so easily to say there is no good, but there is good,” said Antonacci. “I believe this project is important and will let people step outside of themselves and their own problems.”
Antonacci’s goal for this project is to send 100 shoe boxes. She quoted Romans 8:28 in the Bible; “all things come together for good for those who the most.”
“I believe service is important and people know that but its difficult to find opportunities or find the courage to find an opportunity and reach out,” said Antonacci. “Because this project provides an opportunity for people to make a difference this Christmas in the lives of so many kids.
