Local athletes help community

MARQUETTE — All stars from all over the U–P pushed their rivalry aside today and came together to donate food.

Athletes and coaches checked–in on NMU’s campus to prepare for the U.P. All Star Football game. The athletes checking in were encouraged to bring any non–perishable foods in part with the Xcel Sports Training food drive. All the food was donated to the Beacon House Food Pantry in Marquette and the athletes were excited to help out their community.

“I just think it’s really good to give back to the community.” Said by Westwood H.S. Graduate Luke Gray, “we’ve been role models all throughout high school, all these kids here being some of the top athletes in our schools, and kids look up to us, it’s our turn to give back to the community.”

This isn’t the first year that the athletes donated food to the Beacon House, last year more than eight–hundred pounds of non–perishable foods were collected. The food drive gave athletes the opportunity to learn how their contributions assist those in need.

“When we can have a bunch of all star players here, donating back, giving food to the food pantry, going to Bay Cliff, things like that. Said Xcel Sports Training President Todd Goldbeck, “it really helps them to promote that next generation of football players.”

After adding up the donations from this year, it was found that more than 1200 pounds of food was donated. Mary Dowling, the C–E–O of Beacon House was grateful to all the people who donated.