Dec. 25, 2009

RUSTON -- Members of the Louisiana Tech Lady Techster basketball team joined other folks in the community this week in helping to give back to the less fortunate during this holiday season.

The Lady Techster players along with members of the coaching staff worked Monday afternoon at Super One Foods in Ruston handing out more than 300 ham dinners to members of the community as part of an outreach program by the local grocery store.

"It's been great to see both the men's and women's basketball programs get involved," said Super One Foods manager Chris Turner. "The men have sacked groceries a few times and they also helped at Thanksgiving by helping hand out free turkey dinners. And now the Lady Techsters were involved (this week) handing out more than 300 free ham dinners.

"It's a great feeling you get from seeing these young men and women giving back to people who aren't as fortunate as we are. It's wonderful to have the teams involved, getting out in the community and meeting people. Anybody who spends any time with any of these players finds out how great they are on a personal level."

Lady Techster head coach Teresa Weatherspoon said that community service opportunities like this one are so beneficial in so many important ways.

"It is so important to give back," Weatherspoon said. "We ask people in the community to come out and support us, but it means so much more when you go out in the community and show support to what they may need. It's so important for our young ladies to give joy and happiness to other people. It's a beautiful thing to see and to know that you gave people a moment of happiness and peace."

The Lady Techsters return to the court Dec. 29 when they travel to San Antonio to face Stephen F. Austin at the UTSA New Year's Classic.