Raider Football "Lends A Hand"
MacKay Wildlife Preserve receives attention

   On Saturday morning, July 14th a group of players from the 2007 Caledonia-Mumford football program gathered to participate in the team’s annual community project. Once again, our village’s little gem the MacKay Wild Preserve and Nature Walk, was the focus of the Red Raiders’, "Lend a Hand" cleanup effort. Coaches, Mike Monacelli and Eric Amorese were present to lead the group of players in the effort. The annual community project has become a major focal point in the football team’s development. The community project serves not only to help out the community by performing meaningful work but it also allows for the team to work together outside of the world of high school football.

   It was noted by Coach Mike Monacelli that, "The community has done a lot for us, this work done here today is an opportunity for us to give a little something back to the community." The football team greatly appreciates their fan support as the Red Raiders historically have had one of the best fan followings in all of Section V.

    A checklist of work accomplished by the boys includes: Weeding all of the flowerbeds in the entrance area and around the park’s new, "Alhart Gazebo." (On a side note, the recently donated gazebo by Neil and Ellen Alhart has added greatly to the overall appearance of the park entrance area. Thank-you so much Neil and Ellen) Clearing out the deeply overgrown vegetation, which had begun to take over the barn foundation, located at the parking entrance. In addition to weeding the barn’s foundation, the adjoining wall and adjacent grounds were also cleared of thick weeds. Once all the tall weeds and grass were removed from area, the coaches and players set out to re-stack fallen stones that had toppled from the barn foundation as well as removing other large stones from the cleared area, behind the stone wall. The stone clearing effort will hopefully allow the area to be more accessible for lawn mowing in the future.

   Following the cleanup effort at the MacKay Preserve, Coach Monacelli hosted a post work luncheon for the players, at his home. Games of Boccie and Bean Toss were hotly contest before hot dogs were served.

   Efforts such as the annual "Lend a Hand" project are one of the ways the coaches use to create and nurture the "Raider Football Family." It is one of the tools that contribute to the development of the players’ overall character. Great job everyone. Go Raiders!