Cal Baptist Volleyball Players Give Back

With the new season fast approaching, California Baptist University took a timeout from competition to spend a day helping others. Eighteen members of the Lancer men's volleyball family made the trip to the Dream Center near downtown Los Angeles to volunteer with the organization that "finds and fills the needs of more than 80,000 individuals and families each month," according to its website. It allowed first-year head Coach Derek Schmitt to set the tone for the year. "One of the things that I want to be a staple in a program that I lead is that we serve others," he said, "whether it is spending a morning serving at the Dream Center, serving locally, cleaning up after ourselves so workers at another school, or hotel, or restaurant have an easier time -- that's what I want our team to be about." The Dream Center meets the needs of its community through mobile hunger relief, medical, residential rehabilitation and foster care intervention programs; teaching life and job skills; counseling and Bible studies. The Lancers spent some time praying and playing with the Dream Center employees, volunteers and students enrolled in the Center's Leadership School. Then, they received some instructions before going out to Bonnie Brae, a primarily Spanish-speaking neighborhood near Echo Park, about four blocks from the Dream Center. "I feel as if the adventure brought our team closer together making us more like a family," opposite hitter Roy Powell said. "The most important thing however was our growth in spirituality. It's a huge part of this team, and being out there, I felt our team was able to grow substantially in our faith." CBU unloaded a food truck containing large boxes of vegetables, 12-packs of soda and a van holding a variety of breads. The team then individually bagged the vegetables before a group of residents from the Bonnie Brae neighborhood formed a line to take bags of food and cans of soda in their bags. "You could tell from the expressions on most of their faces just how much it meant to them to receive this food," Schmitt said. Some players also took bags of food and delivered them to specific houses. Those visits allowed them to connect deeper with the people of the Bonnie Brae community. "One of the coolest things that we did was pray for a woman that was sick," middle blocker Caleb Miller said. "The family invited us in and we were able to meet the family and pray for the woman. It was such a great opportunity to work with the Dream Center and just see a little part of the good work that they are doing." "Overall, going and seeing every individual was such a great experience because it showed us how grateful we should be and how the power of God can bless everyone," outside hitter Robert Hadobas said.