NORMAL, Ill. – This past week, the Illinois State women's basketball team took time to give back to the Bloomington-Normal community. The Redbirds volunteered in two separate Easter Seals events, including the annual "Walk with Me" event. The "Walk with Me" event is a one mile walk that helps raise awareness and support for families living with disabilities.
Student-athletes paired up with families from the Bloomington-Normal community and participated in the walk at the Corn Crib Baseball stadium Saturday morning. Three days prior on Wednesday, the men's and women's basketball teams hosted families and children in Redbird Arena, where they played on the court and finished the day with a pizza party.
Senior women's basketball student-athlete Katy Winge volunteered at both events, and found the opportunities to be extremely rewarding.
"Getting the opportunity to volunteer with Easter Seals was an amazing experience," Winge said. "On Wednesday, we had the chance to spend some time with the kids at Redbird Arena, and it was so inspiring how they just immersed themselves in the activities with us. Things as simple as shooting baskets brought so much joy to them, and it helped me remember why I love the game so much. They touched our lives just as much as we touched theirs, if not more."
Similarly, the "Walk with Me" event was a big success, with athletes leaving feeling honored to have had the opportunity to meet the children and their families.
"Being able to come together as a community for the walk was amazing, and those kids deserved every ounce of recognition," Winge added. "It was a very humbling experience, one that had a big impact on me."
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