@TheSunDevils Once Again Posts Record Numbers for Service in the Community

Arizona State student-athletes and staff continued to embrace the mantra of #SunDevilsServe throughout the 2017-18 season as the department once again set a record for hours served in the community.
 

To be a #GymDevil encompasses more than athletic and academic excellence. We were fortunate to be granted a number of opportunities to serve the surrounding community this past academic year! #SunDevilsServe pic.twitter.com/kyP8uOajo8

— Sun Devil Gymnastics (@SunDevilGym) June 13, 2018

Winning games and performing in the classroom is important, but being role models and giving back to the community is what being a Sun Devil is all about! Thank you to @MissionAZHockey & @OneStepBobcats for inspiring us! #SunDevilsServe pic.twitter.com/KGl1u2zOIe

— Sun Devil Hockey (@SunDevilHockey) December 2, 2017

'Sun Devils Serve' is a program that provides student-athletes and staff with a coordinated pathway to connect with the community with the goal of shaping and affecting lives in a positive manner. For the sixth consecutive year, Sun Devils Serve, overseen by Associate Athletic Director Bill Kennedy, set records for projects, community members served and hours served. After serving a total of 7,403.25 hours in 2016-17, Sun Devil Athletics raised the standard even higher in 2017-18 with an all-time high of 7,569.50 hours. Over that stretch, SDA combined for 143 service projects (up from 141 last year) to serve 300,138 community members (first time going over 300,000).

Thrilled to help with distributing back to school supplies @BallForever_ @robedwardss2 @BobbyHurley11 @tcherry002 @1KingZ4 pic.twitter.com/4G5Gq8o7I5

— Sun Devil MBB (@SunDevilHoops) July 25, 2018

 
"We are very honored and humbled to be able to give back to our community which provides so much support for Sun Devil Athletics," Kennedy said. "Our Sun Devil family truly believes in the principle that 'Sun Devils Serve' is a key part of the Sun Devil Athletics Way."

Another figure remained unchanged from last year – percentage of teams and department staff involved in projects. That figure was once again 100%. Kennedy stated that being involved in the community goes hand in hand with the culture Ray Anderson has helped establish since taking over as vice president for university athletics.

Sand devils got to sing karaoke at Phoenix Children's Hospital tonight ???? #SunDevilsServe pic.twitter.com/9k3fP6medM

— Sun Devil Beach VB (@SunDevilBeachVB) October 17, 2017

"Our growth and commitment in this area are real testaments to Ray Anderson's leadership," Kennedy said. "He has created a culture in athletics that giving back is an important part of your Sun Devil experience.
 
"It is absolutely wonderful that our student-athletes, coaches, staff, band, spirit squad and 942 Crew Executive Board fully embrace this culture and keep responding in record breaking numbers each year."

As always, our first stop in @Vegas is volunteering at @CathCharitiesLV! pic.twitter.com/ykHONLxRcf

— 942 Crew (@942Crew) March 6, 2018

In addition to Fantasy Flight (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUw5Aminh30) and the Sun Devil Caravan, there were numerous community events over the last year that saw Sun Devil Athletics representing in big numbers. Among them were the Healing Field Tribute in honor of the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks and Pat's Run, the annual 4.2-mile race held every April in honor of former Sun Devil football player Pat Tillman.

Our Sun Devils giving children the experience of a lifetime with a "fantasy flight" this morning at PHX Airport! #sundevilsserve #happyholidays ?????? pic.twitter.com/UcdX8zBElH

— Sun Devil Lacrosse (@SunDevilWLax) December 1, 2017

Great morning at Tempe Healing Fields #SunDevilsServe pic.twitter.com/D6FsBsfEcy

— Sun Devil Softball (@ASUSoftball) September 8, 2017

SDA once again visited cities throughout the state as part of the annual Sun Devil Caravan. Every Sun Devil Caravan stop includes a presentation of Sparky's Tour ­– an assembly in which student-athletes, staff, band and 942 Crew teach children the value of personal character and healthy living – and a community service project. In addition to four stops in the state of Arizona, the Sun Devil Caravan also journeyed to Southern California where it participated in service initiatives at a trio of locations: Central City Neighborhood Partnership Community Center (Los Angeles), Integrity House for Disabled Adults (Santa Ana) and the San Pasqual Tribal Community (San Pasqual).
 

Reili Richardson is out in the community today with other Sun Devil student-athletes, staff and members of the Sun Devil band and 942 Crew as part of the annual Sun Devil Caravan! Just got done with the first stop, a Sparky's Tour assembly! #SunDevilsServe pic.twitter.com/Oylj6I8sT8

— Sun Devil WBB (@SunDevilWBB) May 18, 2018

"It is very rewarding to be able to reach out to communities outside the Phoenix/Tempe metro area to include cities throughout Arizona, in California and Nevada and several Native American communities," Kennedy said. 
 
Additional social media postings below are but a small sample Sun Devil Athletics coming together with the community it cares so much about.

This morning, we had the opportunity to participate in "Tri for the Cure AZ", a local race to raise funds for breast cancer research #SunDevilsServe #SunDevilBelieve pic.twitter.com/qvkgshb6tb

— Sun Devil Triathlon (@sundeviltri) March 17, 2018

Always great to give back to the community that supports us so well! #SunDevilsServe! pic.twitter.com/SxZWBop2Js

— Greg Kraft (@CoachGregKraft) January 6, 2018