Hokie ClubThe Virginia Tech golf team traveled to Greenville, S.C., a day early and spent Wednesday visiting with children at the Shriners Hospital for Children. This is the second consecutive year that the team has visited the hospital.
The visit, arranged through the Virginia Tech Athletics Department’s Office of Student Life, is one of the ways that Hokies “give back†to the community.
The team visited every child at the hospital except those who were having surgery and even met with some children prior to their surgery. They spent time in the activity area teaching them how to putt, using each players’ own putter, and visited children who were bedridden in their rooms.
Each child received a personalized golf team poster, signed by every player, a Hokie Kids Club T-shirt, and mini VT basketball goal and ball. The team was taken on a “behind the scenes†tour of the hospital, including specialized areas and had lunch in the cafeteria with the children.
As soon as the team, led by head coach Jay Hardwick, entered the hospital, they were greeted by a couple from Hillsville, Va., wearing Virginia Tech jackets, who had brought their twin sons to the hospital for treatment.
“It was an unbelievable experience for our players,†Hardwick said. “They were happy to bring joy and smiles to those special children - our way to give back.â€
On Thursday, the Hokies will play their practice round for the 2009 Furman Intercollegiate. The three-day tournament will begin Friday morning and will conclude on Sunday.
For more information on the Shriners Hospital for Children, log on to:
http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Main