Charleston, S.C. – Several members of The Citadel Wrestling team took time recently to volunteer their services in building a haunted house for the Courageous Kidz non-profit organization that is dedicated to helping families of children with cancer.
Senior captain Pierre Frazile proposed the idea of the Bulldog grapplers getting more involved in the community and he along with sophomore Andrew Dempsey, a cancer survivor, got in contact with the local organization to set up a volunteer opportunity. "I wanted to get the team involved with our community," commented Frazile. "I searched online and found Courageous Kidz. I emailed the local contact and we went out to clean up a horse stable and decorated it for the children. Several of us are returning to the haunted house on Oct. 14 to interact with the children."
Dempsey, who was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 15 years old, recalls his own personal battle with the disease and says, "It was very encouraging to see how many of my teammates wanted to participate in this project. It is always rewarding to go back and help children who have cancer when I had it myself. It reminds me of the hardships and struggle I endured and eventually conquered. When going through the struggle of cancer, it always lifts a child's heart to have a normal and fun experience. I am so glad we got to work with Courageous Kidz. It was a great experience."
Courageous Kidz is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping families of children with cancer as they face their battle. If you would like to become a sponsor or make a donation to Courageous Kidz, please visit www.courageouskidz.org.
The Citadel Wrestling team will host their annual "Wrestle-Off" competition on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29 at Vandiver Hall. The 2011-12 season starts on Sunday, Nov. 6 with The Citadel Open at McAlister Field House featuring only freshmen and sophomores. The upperclassmen will take part at the Hokie Open in Salem, Va., that same day. For more information on Bulldog Wrestling, visit CitadelSports.com.
