Dec. 7 marked the one-year anniversary of One Team Goal, an altruistic endeavor designed by West Chester University students Kimmi Szajnuk and Cameron Ducey for their Honors College capstone project.

Their efforts for Professor Gerardina Martin’s class came to a successful conclusion with a gala and presentation of $11,003 to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The objective of One Team Goal was to pair one child from CHOP with each athletic team at WCU. As members of the women’s swimming team, Szajnuk and Ducey saw a need that could be met within their community.

“I think there is so much student-athletes can learn from these kids,” Szajnuk said. “We complain when we have to get up for 6 AM practices or because we are stressed with schoolwork, but we are lucky to live the lives we do. Seeing how much these young children have gone through really puts things in perspective.”

Throughout the past year, the children, named ambassadors, have attended practices and games with their respective teams. All the while, One Team Goal has been raising money for CHOP through various fundraisers, such as a headband sale, 50/50 raffles, and promotion of their Charity Gala at sporting events and through social media.

After a year of hard work, Szajnuk and Ducey celebrated their efforts with a gala filled with raffles, speeches, dancing, awards for the One Team Goal ambassadors, and the check presentation.

“One Team Goal has overall been such a rewarding experience,” said Ducey. “Not only were we able to well exceed our goal of raising $10,000, but it was amazing to see both the children and athletes having such a fun time at the gala!”

Szajnuk and Ducey plan to make their project sustainable by training their successors and passing down their knowledge to younger students at the university.

Click here for more information on One Team Goal’s donor drive to support the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

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