During the holiday season, the women’s varsity basketball team kicked off their season by extending a helping hand to those in need. On Monday, Nov. 21, the team went to the Perry Point VA Medical Hospital, taking gifts such as hats, socks, gloves, crossword puzzles to help cheer up the veterans’ spirits.

The team spent the evening talking with veterans and wishing them a Happy Holiday season. The highlight, according to junior Savannah Simmons, was being able to share gifts with them, an emotional and heartwarming experience. “There was one guy that was so happy we had brought him gifts,” she said. “He started crying as soon as we walked in. He wanted to express how grateful he was that we were all there.”

Simmons indicated not only how appreciative the patients were for their help, but also noted how much it impacted her teammates. “It brought us together, and made us more thankful,” she said.

Other members of the team felt that just talking with the veterans was something surreal and memorable. “These are people that served our country, yet most of them can’t even walk without assistance now. I felt blessed while I was walking around and talking to them,” sophomore Kirstin Huggins said.

Junior Branyelle Carillo agreed with Huggins, but she also described the experience as honoring and meaningful to the team. “[It] showed us that there’s more than just basketball. We understood that giving is more rewarding than receiving,” she said.

Starting off the season with such an eye-opening experience has really pushed the team to trust in each other and play with a higher purpose. “We were forced to think of someone else [other than] ourselves, but we still had each other to lean on,” Huggins said.

Anna Kotula and Kayla Kozak are Contributors for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com