NU students deliver Turkey Trot proceeds to Heart, Love & Soul

In November, Niagara University's Collegiate Entrepreneur Organization (C.E.O. Club) held its sixth annual Turkey Trot to help raise money for the Heart, Love and Soul soup kitchen and food pantry.

On Friday, Feb. 13, the C.E.O. Club delivered the proceeds - $500 - to Sister Beth Brosmer, executive director of Heart, Love and Soul.

"The money that has been given by the C.E.O. Club will touch many lives, as we see the face of Jesus in each and every one of our guests. We could not be more grateful,"   Brosmer said.

NU students Jessica Mullane (C.E.O. Club HR director) and Robert Derrett (president and treasurer), accompanied by faculty adviser Dr. Anna McNab, visited the Niagara Falls-based food pantry while breakfast was being served in the dining room, and took time to converse with guests.

"It was difficult not to be touched by the warm welcome we received from Sister Beth and the guests," McNab said. "These people experience so much hardship, some of them walking a long distance in these bitter cold temperatures just to get food, yet they showered us with the most heartwarming smiles and hugs. Being involved in projects that give back to the community is what I cherish most about my job at Niagara University and I am very proud of the C.E.O. Club for making it their goal to have such a positive impact."

Derrett shared those sentiments.

"It's amazing how something so small can mean so much," he said. "It felt great being able to converse and share a laugh with the members of the Heart, Love and Soul community. It was a humbling experience - one I'll never forget."

So what's next for the C.E.O. Club?

In speaking with  Brosmer, the students learned Heart, Love and Soul guests are in desperate need of footwear, particularly warm socks, during the winter months. Thus, the club representatives are already planning to organize a sock drive during the semester.

To learn more about Niagara University's multitude of clubs and organizations, visit www.niagara.edu/clubs.