In the fall of 1998, runners on South’s boys’ cross country team were looking for a special goal to end their summer running, Hasenstein said. The team realized that donations to the Northfield Food Pantry are usually low during this time and decided to make an impact. Hasenstein, recalling how his own high school cross country team helped food-insecure families, agreed the team needed to help out.
“I facilitate and organize the logistics [of the donations] with the students,” Hasenstein said. “Over the course of the 31 years I’ve been coaching cross country, we’ve had three [fundraisers].
For many athletes, these contributions are also a way to express their gratitude to their support systems, senior runner Sam Knezevich said. He explained that these donations not only reflect the goals of the runners but also are an opportunity for other members of South’s cross country program to see the runners in a new light.
“Our parents in the program [are doing] so much for us, so we want to make sure that we can also give back to the community in a way that’s meaningful to us and [to] them,” Knezevich said.
The boys’ cross country fundraiser consists of a long run where the runners get sponsors who pay for every mile run. It’s a good opportunity for the boys to push themselves to run their farthest distance in order to raise more money, Knezevich explained.
The boys’ run is not only an opportunity to raise funds, but also to inspire spectators, freshman Claire Booker said.
“The run was very inspirational, and it taught me [to work] for the [goals] that I want to achieve,” Booker said.
Hasenstein expressed his appreciation to be able to fundraise for the Northfield Food Pantry. He explained that these donations not only help those on the receiving end of the donations, but they also provide a sense of satisfaction for the donors.
“[With these donations, the team] saw what kind of a positive effect [they] had on [the community],” Hasenstein said. “Anytime you can lend a hand to somebody else it’s a pretty good feeling.”
