2005 SEC Gymnastics Good Works Team Announced
3/24/2005 12:00:00 AM | Gymnastics
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Birmingham, Ala -- The Southeastern Conference sponsors a Good Works Teams for all 20 sports it sponsors. The Gymnastics Good Works Team represents seven SEC gymnasts, one from each competing institution. The Good Works Team looks to highlight an athlete from each school who gives back to their community in superior service efforts. The first annual Gymnastics Good Works Team follows:
Dana Pierce, Alabama
Active in the community from day one, Dana Pierce has worked steadily to make Tuscaloosa a better place. She has read to area school children several times over the years, including on "Read Across America Day" in early March. Pierce has also helped raise money for the Salvation Army's Project Angel Tree. She has visited patients at the VA Hospital in Tuscaloosa as well as working with children at the Children's Hands On Museum. Pierce has also spoken to children at local schools on the importance of making positive choices. She is a Scholastic All-American and member of Academic All-SEC, as well as recipient of Council of Presidents' Freshman Academic Achievement Award. She was also inducted into Phi Eta Sigma honor society
Katie Hardman, Arkansas
Hardman is involved in several community service projects. This year, she worked with the Sweat Hogs Program doing school visits, radio interviews and presentations during WBB half-times helping to promote physical fitness and activity to elementary kids in Northwest Arkansas.
Katie also works with the Boys & Girls Club as a coach and helped with fundraising efforts for a local Special Olympics activity. In addition, Katie works with Arkansas Athletes Outreach and Adopt a Family in Northwest Arkansas. A three-event specialist for the Gym'Backs, Katie is the school record-holder on beam. Hardman is also in the process, along with her family, of renovating a house in Fayetteville.
Robin O'Rear, Auburn
The senior from Eclectic, Ala.,was the co-coordinator for the puppet ministry at Children's Harbor for the past eight years, was a volunteer at an Antique Boat and Classic Car Show and volunteers at Mariner's Adventure Camp during the summer. The exercise and sport science major also volunteers at Lupus Camp the AU team, volunteered at Capital City BBQ for Children's Harbor, packed Thanksgiving boxes for Salvation Army and has worked with physical education classes at Yarborough Elementary School. O'Rear was a member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll in 2003 and 2004.
Orley Szmuch, Florida
Szmuch is involved with Gator Literacy and after-school programs, various speaking engagements at area elementary schools and youth programs, participated in Adopt-a-Team and participated in the gymnastic team's Harvest Food Drive seminar. She is a 2003-04 female recipient of UF Office of Student Life Community Service Award, which is given to the student-athlete who did the most community service during an academic year. She also participated in 2004 Division IA Regional Leadership Conference, is an executive board member of UF Student-Athlete Advisory Board, a four-time All-America, a two-time All-SEC second team member and was named 2002 SEC Freshman of the Year. She was named to the 2005 U.S. Maccabiah Games team in November of 2004 and will travel to Israel to compete in the Games in July of 2005
Courtney Pratt, Georgia
Pratt volunteered at the University Hospital near her hometown in Augusta, Ga., and helped raise money to send care packages to soldiers currently stationed in Iraq. She participated in adopting a family during the Christmas holiday as well as raising money for Thanksgiving dinners for needy families. She serves on the catering committee for the UGA Dance Marathon which raises money for the Children's Miracle Network, has worked on a voting campaign last fall through her sorority and through College Republicans, setting up demonstrations on campus, has volunteered at the Athens Food Bank and Athens Soup Kitchen and helped to set up a hurricane relief fund to raise money for rebuilding homes in Florida last fall. She also worked with her gymnastics team to raise money for a new breast cancer wing at Athens Regional Medical Center through a campaign called Champions Against Cancer. Pratt also worked with Amnesty International to raise awareness for genocide in Sudan and will spend one week this summer in India with a group that will help in rebuilding schools and homes that were destroyed in the recent tsunami, while also working with children.
Lindsay Cameron, Kentucky
Cameron was the Outreach/Community Service Gymnastics Representative, acted as the director of UK Athletics/God's Pantry Food Drive, worked on UK Athletics Food Drive, helped with the 2004 Kentucky Special Olympic Bowling organization, participated in walk a kid to school day and volunteered at the 2004 YMCA Fall Festival. In addition, she helped with the 2004 Northern Elementary Fall Festival, was a guest reader at Landsdowne Elementary School, Ashland Elementary School, Reader Picadome Elementary School and J.R. Elementary. She also volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House, was a mentor at Leestown Middle School, helped with the Salvation Army Stocking Stuffer program, volunteered at the UK Children's Hospital, participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and volunteered at the Shriner's Hospital. Cameron was named to the Dean's list four semesters and named to the SEC Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll for two years.
Lauren Companioni, LSU
Companioni is a member of LSU's S.A.A.C (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee) and has spoke at local elementary and high schools about the importance of time management and academics. She participated in the Alzheimer's Services Capital Area "Walk/Run to Remember", the Steve Hood's Total Dance Experience, a fundraiser benefiting the St. Jude Foundation, and visited the pediatric ward at Our Lady of the Lady Regional Hospital. She joined with the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority on campus to host a pancake breakfast where all proceeds went to the support the fight against breast cancer, answered phones at the local MDA telethon, participated in LSU's Halloween BOOzar four straight years, raised money and helped deliver presents for LSU's annual Christmas Toy Drive, visited with residents at local nursing homes and also raised money for and participated in the local Heart Walk and the Cancer Walk/Run.
