Embrace the Community: AIC Hosts Inaugural Team IMPACT Holiday Party

Embrace the Community: AIC Hosts Inaugural Team IMPACT Holiday Party

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PHOTO GALLERY

Yellow Jackets Bring Cheer to Holiday Season with Team IMPACT. 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The American International College athletic department hosted its inaugural Team IMPACT Holiday Party, bringing together the department's eight Team IMPACT teammates and their families with over 100 AIC student-athletes and staff back on Sunday, December 8.
 
"When planning this event, I focused on not just individual teams but getting all the kids together in an atmosphere that is fun and upbeat. Going through a chronic illness is hard and introducing them to others who are going through the same thing was the goal," said field hockey junior Jenny Holmquist, who is AIC's Team IMPACT athlete representative.
 
She, along with two fellow field hockey players, junior Katelynn Leclerc and freshman Shannon Cormier, and two women's soccer players, juniors Jennifer Hackett and Megan McGuill, organized a party for the Team IMPACT teammates, including holiday music, craft projects, and gifts for the children, as well as their siblings.
 
"We really wanted to do something special for the Team IMPACT athletes for the holidays and figured they would enjoy a holiday party with their teammates. We're extremely happy with the way the event turned out and all the athletes who came. We are already looking forward to next year's event," Hackett said.

Leclerc added, "It's great to be a part of a committee that plans events to bring all of the Team IMPACT kids together to have them bond with their teams away from their sport, so they get to know them on more of a personal level."

-Release provided by AIC athletic communications-

ABOUT TEAM IMPACT

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, that connects children facing serious or chronic illnesses with college athletic teams, forming life-long bonds and life-changing outcomes. Since 2011, Team IMPACT has matched nearly 1,600 children with more than 500 colleges and universities in 48 states, reaching over 50,000 participating student-athletes. The child joins the athletic team and the student-athletes join the child's support team. Throughout the journey, the child gains strength, camaraderie and support while the student-athletes experience lessons of courage, resiliency and perspective they can't learn in a classroom.

Team IMPACT has more than 1,000 teams waiting to be matched with children, ages 5-16, who have been diagnosed with a serious or chronic illness and who could benefit from becoming a member of the team. If you know a child who may be interested, visit www.goteamimpact.org for more information.

ABOUT THE NE10

The NE10 is an association of 15 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.