Community Service
Phoenix Buckeyes care about our community!
by Bonnie Patterson, Club Secretary
Ohio State
Alumni Club of Phoenix
Ohio State
Alumni Club of Phoenix
The Ohio State Alumni Club of Phoenix is committed to giving back to our community. Because the Buckeyes visit the Fiesta Bowl so often, Ohio State is well known in the Valley of the Sun during the month of January. However, our club works year around to represent the very best qualities of the Buckeye Nation here in greater Phoenix.
We also work for St. Mary’s Food Bank in Phoenix. During the Fiesta Bowl week, our club teams-up with the folks from Columbus (OSU dignitaries, coach’s wives and students) along with volunteers from our Fiesta Bowl opponent. The group spends the morning separating and boxing up donated food for distribution to needy families and individuals throughout the valley
Every December, the club volunteers at KAET – Public TV in Phoenix during the quarterly membership drive. We work one evening answering phones to collect funds for this PBS station that provides educational and quality programs for folks of all ages. It’s a fun event and the club gets some “face-time” and on-air recognition for our work.
Whenever the Buckeyes are here for the Fiesta Bowl, club members man the hospitality suite for the players. We work in shifts to serve food, snacks and soft drinks and provide services as needed for the team. It’s loads of fun and is greatly appreciated by the Fiesta Bowl Committee here in Phoenix.
If you'd like to join us as a volunteer or if you have a project that you think might help represent Ohio State in our community, please contact our club via email at osuphx@cox.net.
With education in Arizona asking for our support, we jumped right in! The club has adopted Sandra Day O’Connor Elementary School in Mesa. This fall we cleaned out and planted around the walkway and near the front door of the school. We hope to do more in the future. The AZ Buckeyes are very devoted to education in Ohio and Arizona.
Every year during October we participate in “Make a Difference” month. We collect $1 for every Buckeye touchdown at our game watch sites for worthy causes. During 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 we were able to contribute greatly to the Mesa United Food Bank. This food bank provides meals for homeless or the less fortunate. Our donations are used to buy perishable items for holiday season meals. Mesa United Food Bank can provide meals for 3200 people with just $400 and canned food collected locally. Our donations were nearly $3000! We are proud of our support of this wonderful agency.
In 2009 we were asked to participate in “Operation Buckeye” and we were happy to join in this great cause. Our touchdown dollars will help provide care boxes for our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The boxes are filled with necessary items and letters of appreciation all wrapped with good wishes of love and support for the wonderful job they are doing for our country. Our 2009 goal is $1000 – and we’re pleased to announce we've reach it with one game remaining! If the team keeps scoring and our fans continue their generosity, there will be many winners!
