Jayhawks in the Community: S&D Decorate Cookies for Pioneer Ridge
Dec. 4, 2012
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Members of the Kansas swimming and diving team and the support staff spent Tuesday night decorating cookies for the Pioneer Ridge Assisted Living Home on the west side of Lawrence.
The team gathered together in the Naismith Room inside Allen Fieldhouse to decorate dozens of cookies that will be delivered to the residents of Pioneer Ridge at a later date. With finals coming up next week, the time not only served as a public outreach opportunity, but as a way to take a break from studying.
“It’s not every day that we get to take a break from school and have some fun and decorate cookies like when we were younger,” junior Alison Lusk said. “We always do a community service thing during the holidays, anything to give back and do what we can to help out.”
Pioneer Ridge, located on the corner of Harvard and Wakarusa, delivers nursing residence and professional care for those in need. The facility is a branch of Midwest Health a network of senior health communities, including 10 different branches across the state of Kansas.
Members of the faculty mentor program at KU helped the team decorate cookies. The program allows student-athletes to work closely with faculty members who can give them advice about academics or career plans.
“It’s been a really great experience,” Mary Klayder associate director of undergraduate studies said. “I’ve had a lot of athletes in class and it’s really nice to get to know the students in this smaller more relaxed context. There is no pressure during an event like this. It’s nice to be doing something together, so I can make a cookie and get along with them.”
The Jayhawks are currently training for the spring schedule, which begins Saturday, Jan. 12, when they travel to Los Angeles, Calif., for a double dual against San Diego State and host UCLA at the Spieker Aquatics Center.
KUAthletics.com: The official online source for Kansas Athletics, Williams Education Fund contributions, tickets, merchandise, multimedia, photos and much, much more.
