Rocky Mount, N.C. - The North Carolina Wesleyan basketball programs were afforded the opportunity to give back to their community on MLK Day at the Boy's and Girl's Club of Rocky Mount. 

This was meaningful for both teams because the previous week, the young men and women of the Boys and Girls' Club attended the basketball double header and enthusiastically supported the Bishops. 

Women's basketball sophomore Johnay Goddard shared how special giving back to her community meant to her. She commented, "Volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club on MLK Day gave us the opportunity to give back and dedicate our attention to a community that we spend a lot of time in. It was also a chance for me to appreciate the environment & realize the importance of keeping it clean."

It is also important for the youth in the community to have athletes as role models to inspire them to be great, and show them that any dream is possible. These volunteer experiences are not only great for the youth, but a great experience for the athletes as well, Corynthian Williams shared. Deonna Adams also added, "Somewhere along the way we must learn that there is nothing greater than to do something for others, It was very inspirational because the younger generation was able to see us helping our community and hopefully that will inspire them to help their community as they get older."

The afternoon was also memorable for the men's team as they were afforded the opportunity last year to visit Atlanta GA where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born. Also on the trip, the program was able to visit many historical monuments relating to the life and legacy of MLK. This makes MLK day particularly special to Coach John Thompson as he shared, "We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the Boys and Girls Club and to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Involvement is one of our 4C's and we hope we can, in some small way, make a positive impact on all of the communities we are a part of. I think this particular day was significant to so many of us because it was just about a year ago, when our team was in Atlanta, that we visited Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, which includes Dr. King's birthplace, Ebenezer Baptist Church, his grave site, and more."

The partnership that both programs have with the Boy's and Girl's Club has afforded the athletes of both programs the opportunity to change their community and impact the lives of many students.

As the expression goes in sports, one coach or teammate can change someone's life and leave a profound impact on them. "Being at the Boys and Girls Club was great. It made me feel good about doing something good for our community. Our involvement in that project has made me want to continue giving back", Sal Bey Young commented. Jackson Thompson also added, "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is "a day on" and it was great to be able to give back. And to be able to give back in my hometown and to hopefully assist the next generation of kids coming up was an honor. For me, as well as a way to honor Dr. King."

This valuable experience also made a profound impact on our athletes and appreciate the legacy Martin Luther King Jr. left behind. The athletes of both programs fully grasped the sacrifices that were made to get us to the point we are today. Dixon continued, "Serving the Boys and Girls club on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day was a great experience for my teammates and myself. Being able to get out in the community and show our faces to make a simple change that could inspire and jumpstart change for 100's of students. The Boys and Girls club made sure to emphasize the reason why the day was "a day on" by giving us insight and reminders of the privileges we have today made possible by Dr. King and so many others, and reminding us of the importance of community involvement."

Both teams thoroughly enjoyed their experience and the North Carolina Wesleyan University basketball programs appreciated the opportunity to partner with the Rocky Mount Boy's and Girl's Club on this special day.