The seventh grade boys travel basketball team collected food items throughout February and donated them to the West Hartford Food Pantry.

By Ronni Newton

The coaches and players from the West Hartford’s seventh grade travel basketball team decided as a group to include community outreach among its goals for the season, and after reading about the critical need for donations being experienced by the West Hartford Food Pantry, chose that organization as its focus, coach Sean McCann said.

The boys and their families collected food items throughout the month of February, and on Feb. 28 delivered about 30 bags filled with non-perishables to the Food Pantry that will be distributed to needy families in the West Hartford community.

“Nancy Stockman, pantry coordinator, met all of us and spoke to the boys about who the pantry serves, the amount of families in need in our community, and that they are at the mercy of donors and volunteers,” McCann said. “She sent the boys a great message that what they were doing was having an impact on a family in need and as I watched their faces when she said that I could tell, it hit them.”

McCann said listening to Stockman the boys were emotionally engaged, asking questions.

The team’s season on the court is nearing an end, and they will face Norwalk in the first round of the playoffs on Friday night, but their community outreach efforts will continue to have an impact.

“I’m extremely proud of these boys efforts at home, in the classroom, and in our community. I’m fortunate to be able to work with them,” McCann said.

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