By Michael Aronson and Michael Sugerman

Members of the football team assembled packages last Thursday for American soldiers deployed overseas.

The team collaborated with the non-profit Operation Gratitude to send CDs and DVDs, stuffed animals and hand-written letters to troops. The event was the football team’s first group service event.

Varsity quarterback Chad Kanoff ‘13 and his mother Mary Ellen Kanoff (KC ’08 and Christine ’11) thought of the group service event, and Coach Scott Bello and some of the players’ mothers planned the event, left tackle Thomas Oser ’13 said. The team chose Operation Gratitude because the players could assemble the packages at school before the team’s hell week began Monday. During hell week, team members play football all day and sleep at school in the gym.

 “Our team, parents and coaches all seemed into helping out our army, so it was a good fit,” Chad Kanoff said.
An Operation Gratitude representative also outlined the non-profit’s mission to the team during an information session.

“Working with Operation Gratitude really opened my eyes to what these soldiers need: simple things that we take for granted at home everyday,” Oser said. “I’m happy to have worked with Operation Gratitude and I would be more than willing to do so again.”

The event also helped team members in completing their community service requirement.

“It was more about contributing to a viable cause, and getting our hours done was more of a bonus,” Kanoff said.