SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The St. Francis golf team recently held a movie night for the residents of Saint John's Program for Real Change.
"It was really cool to see the kids really enjoying the movie and the snacks," said golf team member Julia Thomson. "We had our girls coloring with them. They had a great time."
The Troubadours spent time with the kids and their mothers. The project was the idea of Thomsen, who had participated in previous movie nights as an eighth grader as part of her National Charity group, and was part of the St. Francis athletics sports ministry program.
"Our co-captains Patricia Sweeney and Olivia Alcoran contacted St. John's and got it all organized," said Thomson, a sophomore at St. Francis. "Coincidently, it was the week of the SportsLeader virtue of unity. We did not plan that and shows everything happens for a reason."
They showed the movie Hocus Pocus and had Halloween themed coloring activities.
"It really brought our team together," said Thomson. "It was first time we saw each other away from golf. We see each other in the hallways (and the golf course). But it is the first time we had done a big activity outside of golf. Seeing how my teammates worked with the kids and organized it (was cool). They put 100 percent of their effort in and I was really proud of them."
Thomson is the team rep who attends the weekly Ministry Mondays coordinated by Sports Ministry coordinator Michaela Andrews.
"It is really fun," said Thomson of the Ministry Mondays that meet at lunch each week. "We learn a new virtue every week. It is cool how each virtue connects to our team."
The golf team is the first to accept the challenge of hosting a team community service event. It was chaperoned by golf team sports ministry coordinator Stephanie Villaneava and Head Coach Bert Jones.
"We did know we were the first until Ms. Villaneava and Coach Jones told us that night," said Thomson. "We did not go into it to make history. We did it for team bonding and to get to know the kids of St. John's."
The team was given a tour of the facility before the event. The shelter serves up to 270 women and children daily with a wait list of more than 500.
"It was really important for our golf team to see the lives of these people and how much we can help them out," said Thomson.
Jones was touched by the team's participation.
"It opened my eyes and my heart to those less fortunate and I know the team is now filled with greater gratitude," said Jones. "I thanked the team for opening their eyes and hearts to the situation."
The golf team completes their regular season on Monday at the third Delta League Center match at Wildhorse Golf Course in Davis. The event starts at 11 a.m.
