KU Student-Athletes host Christmas Party at Brandon Woods Senior Center

Dec. 9, 2010

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

The residents of Brandon Woods Senior Center enjoyed a Christmas Party hosted by KU student-athletes on Sunday afternoon. The men’s golf team was the first to arrive and be greeted by the residents who were eagerly waiting in the activity room.

One of the residents said, “Well this must be the basketball team,” as 6’6″ sophomore golfer Dan Waite walked into the room.

The men’s golf team was joined by student-athletes from volleyball, track & field, softball, rowing, and the tennis team. The student-athletes interacted with the residents by serving food and talking with them. The activity director for the senior center hired a D.J. for the event and the women’s track team encouraged people to dance.

What started out with just Jaci Perryman, Rebecca Stowe, and Mackenzie Abernathy dancing, soon the entire group was doing the electric slide as the residents looked on with excitement. One of the residents exclaimed, “This is wild,” with a large smile on his face. Eventually the residents began to dance with the student-athletes but chose more traditional styles like the waltz over the electric slide.

Kansas football tight end Dick Green lettered at KU in 1961.

Dick Green is a resident at Brandon Woods. Green played football at KU from 1960 – 61. He said John Hadl was his quarterback and then he corrected himself and said, “Actually I was his tight end.” Green has fond memories of his time at KU and talked about programs like the K-Club and Student-Athlete Academic Support Services. Green tried to convince 6-foot-8 Mason Finley, a sophomore track & field student-athlete, to go out for the football team. Mason just laughed as he chatted with Green about his experiences at KU.

“Events like this are good for us and give us feel for what their lives are like and how they celebrate the holidays,” said senior golfer Nate Barbee. “It was great to interact with the community in this way and meet some of the elders.”

What started out as an afternoon of conversation and dancing at Brandon Woods Senior Center turned out to be a lasting memory for everyone involved.