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Park University baseball players traded their gloves for boxes this weekend, helping the Northland Christmas Store prepare for its annual mission to provide seniors with toiletries and families with toys.
The club spent time in the basement of Gashland United Methodist Church, organizing household staples and toys that will soon reach families throughout Clay County.
"Each year, there are more and more people receiving our help," said Tina Spallow, chairman of the Northland Christmas Store. "The seniors that we serve, typically their only income that they have is from Social Security. What they call that fixed income gets smaller and smaller every month."
For Spallow and her volunteers, it's their mission to help those in need. For the Park University baseball team, it's simple generosity.
"We're instilled to be very selfless," said Sebastian Guzman, a catcher for Park University. "I knew a lot [of] kids that I grew up with that needed a toy drive and such, and it warms me and my heart."
The community service aligns with Coach Cary Lundy's philosophy of developing well-rounded student-athletes.
"I always tell them, you can't cut corners in the classroom or off the field or it's going to affect you on the field," Lundy said.
Infielder AJ Rodriguez sees the bigger picture in their volunteer work.
"There's a lot of motion going around; you never exactly know what people are going through. Whenever you see a bunch of members of the community coming together, it makes a big impact," Rodriguez said.
Spallow appreciates the partnership between the university and the nonprofit. The group serves upwards of 3,000 individuals and about 300 home-bound senior citizens.
"It's teamwork," Spallow said. "We're all on a team here. We're here to serve those people here in Clay County, and Park University baseball is part of our team."
The experience reinforces lessons the players learn on the diamond about working together toward a common goal.
"We have to play for ourselves, but at the end of the day, we have the same goal in mind, that's to win the game together," Guzman said.
When asked if this volunteer work helps them win the game of life, Guzman responded, "Exactly, yeah."
The young athletes are focused on what their coach calls the fundamentals — both on and off the field.
"It makes a big difference," Rodriguez said.
If you are interested in learning more about the Northland Christmas Store and/or would like to donate, click here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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