Olivet College men’s lacrosse team participates in overnight service learning trip

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College men's lacrosse team and five staff members traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa. Jan. 11-13 to become the first athletic team in the history of Olivet College to take an overnight service learning trip. The team, along with Olivet's service learning program, worked with Hosanna Industries, a non-profit organization in southwestern Pennsylvania that delivers housing services for low and very low income homeowners in the form of new construction and repair/rehabilitation services.

While in Pittsburgh, the team renovated the home of a United States Air Force veteran who has fallen on hard times. Through this experience, the team not only helped someone in need, but learned home renovation skills such as putting up insulation and drywall. Before heading back to Olivet, the group went sightseeing and attended the Etna Congregational Church.

 "This new team and coaching staff is setting a new standard of excellence on the Olivet campus by demonstrating a collective commitment to individual and social responsibility along with a commitment to athletic success," said Rev. Mike Fales, director of service learning and campus ministries at Olivet.

"These men and their coaches were excellent ambassadors of Olivet College and they left a very favorable impression on this community, as well as Hosanna Industries. I look forward to working with them in the years to come."

Interim Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Adam Hague was grateful for the opportunity Olivet's service learning program provided. "When Mike Fales told me of the trip, I thought it would be perfect for this group of young men. The team not only helped someone in need, but they were able to learn and have fun in the process."

Staff members who participated in the trip include: Fales; Jorrit Grob, graduate assistant; Hague; Mike Malloy, men's lacrosse assistant coach; and Ian Peters, the college's community service coordinator. Students who participated in the trip include: Dakota Badder, a freshman from Troy; Cameron Bazin, a freshman from Troy; Kyle Borek, a junior from Lansing; Joseph Brown, a freshman from Bay City; James Collins, a freshman from Lowell; Ryan McGee, a sophomore from Traverse City; Jordan Normikko, a freshman from Lowell; Holden Price, a freshman from Mason; Nick Rasmussen, a freshman from Grand Rapids; Jack Ranson, a freshman from Nobelton, Ontario; Brad Smith, a freshman from Royal Oak; Jordan Stover, a freshman from Clarkston; and Hunter Teare, a freshman from Trumbull, Conn.

For more information on this or any of the college's service learning trips, contact Fales at (269) 749-7624 or mfales@olivetcollege.edu. Head Men's Lacrosse Coach Adam Hague can be reached at (269) 749-7399 or ahague@olivetcollege.edu. A photo gallery from the trip can be viewed here.