April 2, 2007

University of South Carolina student athletes and the mascot, “Cocky,” visited Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital Thursday, March 29 for the fourth annual Wesley Brown Day.

A star athlete who graduated from Spring Valley High School in 1997 and USC in 2001, Wesley Brown was diagnosed with leukemia in June 2002. In his memory, his family wanted to create an annual event for the children at Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders. The visit from USC student-athletes included autograph sessions, room visits and photos.

Every year, student-athletes from different athletics teams coordinate team projects by taking responsibility to serve as goodwill ambassadors not only for their respective programs, but also for the Athletics Department and the University of South Carolina as a whole. In addition, a number of student athletes elect to perform individual community service hours in a variety of areas. The University of South Carolina Athletics Department is committed to providing volunteer opportunities for student athletes to connect with people in the surrounding community.

The greater Columbia community is invited to utilize members of Team Gamecocks to serve as role models and willing volunteers. For more information on Team Gamecocks, please visit their website at uscsports.com or call (803) 777-9913.