NORTHFIELD — Pioneer Valley Regional School student athletes will be giving their “blessings” to the homeless through a community service activity next week.
On Tuesday, the field hockey, boys soccer and volleyball teams will gather in the school cafeteria from 4 to 5 p.m. to make “blessing bags,” gallon-size Ziploc bags filled with essentials and personal items that will be distributed to local homeless shelters.
Athletic Director Gina Johnson said the athletic teams are purchasing and donating all the items and bags.
“I felt — as community role models — the student athletes should do something to give back to their community,” Pioneer field hockey coach Sallie Gilliland said.
Gilliland has been encouraging the student athletes to take part in community service activities for years now. In the past, the students have collected food items for bag lunches, but Gilliland said food can perish, so this year they decided to do something different. Additionally, the blessing bags provide those in need with essentials that can last a long time.
“I made a list of applicable items and shared it among coaches and student athletes,” Gilliland said.
Essential toiletry items may include: small bottles of water, bandages, hand sanitizer, toothbrushes and toothpaste, soap and deodorant. Personal hygiene items for women include tampons and pads. Personal items include socks, underwear and gloves, for example.
The large Ziploc bags are essential for multiple reasons. The bag helps to keep all items together for easy access. It also keeps the items, mostly toiletries, from spilling or leaking onto other personal items.
In addition to handing out the blessing bags at shelters, Gilliland said they’re handy to keep in your vehicle in case you come across a person in need, wherever you are.
“This year, we are hopefully going to make around 200 bags,” Gilliland said.
Zack DeLuca can be reached at zdeluca@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 264.