Don Ketchum
Former Staff Writer, AZPreps365.com

Young athletes, others help with Camelback community project

November 15, 2010 by Don Ketchum, AZPreps365

"=""> Phoenix Camelback High is stepping up to the plate for community involvement and helping the world around it. And if a few more future Spartans are developed because of it, so much the better.
"=""> On Saturday (Nov. 20), the school will host an event with the group “Stop Hunger Now’’ that allows volunteers to help package meals that will be sent to those in need around the world.
"=""> Camelback athletic director Steve Kuipers said four area churches will bring approximately 100 volunteers to package items from 10 a.m-noon. Kuipers hopes to draw 100 more students and faculty members, and about 100 from Camelback’s “feeder’’ schools.
"=""> The event will begin with a pancake breakfast and include clinics for volleyball and football players. The clinics will be open to students from fifth through eighth grades at the feeder schools only. Kuipers was careful to make sure that the clinics are not considered recruiting by the Arizona Interscholastic Association.
"=""> School officials from Camelback and the feeder schools met with pastors from the four churches, as well as officials from Stop Hunger Now to get the project up and running.
"=""> “We just wanted to show that we’re capable of doing something worthwhile that will help our own community and the world community, and allow young athletes to learn more about sports,’’ Kupiers said.