LANSDOWNE, Pa. – For the third consecutive year,
Villanova Black Alumni Association's Annual Juneteenth Service Project, in partnership with UNITAS in Athletics and the
Office of Intercultural Affairs, brought together a slew of Villanova student-athletes, coaches, staff, and alumni for a day of volunteering and fellowship. This year's day of service was held at
Sword of the Spirit Church in Lansdowne, Pa.
"Freedom in the context of Juneteenth, in all of its triumphs, is an example that it takes a community to make change," Assistant Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Director of UNITAS Leashia Lewis said. "It is an honor to be a part of the Villanova community as we continue to come together to honor, give, and celebrate freedom. Further, I am appreciative of John Celestand (Class of 1999), who conceptualized the idea to gather various leaders in the Villanova Black Alumni Association and student- athletes to organize, bring together, and offer service to our local Philadelphia community in celebration of Juneteenth. This particular effort would not have existed without his leadership and advocacy."
The day began with Dr. Crystal Lucky, professor and Associate Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and her husband, Bishop Timothy Lucky, welcoming the Villanova Community to the church by sharing the historical context of Juneteenth, expressing gratitude to VUBA, Villanova Athletics, and OIA for supporting their community.
Of the nearly 70 people in attendance from both the church and Villanova, roughly 25 volunteers were student-athletes representing football and women's basketball. Throughout the day, volunteers assisted with cleaning and organizing rooms, sending donations to Goodwill, and sprucing up the landscape outside. All of this work at the church comes ahead of its 30
th Anniversary celebration on July 8.
In the weeks leading up to Juneteenth, Villanova Athletics held a community donation drive to collect men's and women's hygiene products that would be put into blessing bags during the service project. The men's basketball program started the blessing bag process ahead of the service project, building bags as a team with hundreds of hygiene products they had donated to be brought to the church. These bags filled with encouraging notes, brushes, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and various other toiletry and hygiene items were packaged up to benefit local shelters. Monetary donations were also accepted to help fund a greenhouse outside of the church.
UNITAS is Villanova Athletics' framework to build a welcoming and supportive athletic department through constructive dialogs, educational programming and community engagement. Through UNITAS, Villanova Athletics is committed to fostering an inclusive, anti-bigotry environment where every member of the community has a voice and feels respected, valued and safe.