Johnna Pinholster
VALDOSTA — Area children and Valdosta State University students will help cheer on the Blazer basketball team tonight at The Complex.
Now in its fifth year, Blazer Buddies pairs area children with university students for a day of fun and athletics.
Today’s theme is “Stepping with the Blazers,” and 52 children between the ages of 5 and 15 will be accompanied by more than 100 university student volunteers for the big game, said Peggy Peterson, president of Alpha Lambda Delta freshman honor society. The honor society heads up the Blazer Buddies program, which was started as a community outreach program in 2005 and brings in university students from all organizations on campus.
Richard Lee, VSU assistant dean of students and Alpha Lambda Delta advisor, developed the idea as a way to bring area children on campus for a day.
Children participating in the Blazer Buddies program will receive a T-shirt and a goody bag and during half-time will get to go out onto the court and see a step show by members of the university’s Greek system, Jemeria Smith, Alpha Lambda Delta treasurer, said.
Recruits for the Blazer Buddies program are chosen by several organizations and ministries in the community, Peterson said.
Diane Howard is one community member who helps recruit children.
“Having organized similar activities for inner city youth for many years, I recognize the great need of more opportunities to interact and build relationships with youth,” Howard said. “Rallies, summits, workshops, conferences and speeches are nice, but one-on-one time with youth is the key to building a relationship and truly making a difference in the lives of the youth of our city.”
After the game the children will get to meet the basketball players, coaches and cheerleaders, she said.
“This gives both us and the community the opportunity to actually build our future together,” Smith said.
Some of the children have never been to a college basketball game. The pre-teens and teenagers may be thinking about college and this gives them an opportunity to see that college life is more than just studying, Peterson said.
This also provides some of the children, who live in the areas recently affected by violent crime, an opportunity to get away from those events, she said.
“This is really big for us,” Peterson said. “One day it might actually make a difference.”
The gift bags are provided by the VSU Bookstore and the dean of students. Tickets are provided through the athletic department and refreshments are provided through the dean of students, she said.
Smith encourages the whole community to come out to the game and support not only the Blazers but the Blazer Buddies as well.
