Dance Team Qualifies for Presidential Service Award

This past October the NC State Dance Team was in attendance at local event put on by the Homebuilders Association of Raleigh-Wake County and the Triangle Real Estate and Construction Veterans, entitled “Operation Coming home, held in Fuquay Varina, NC. “Operation Coming Home” is a program that builds and donates homes to wounded American soldiers. This year’s recipient was Sgt. Stan Roberts, a member of the US Marine Corps.

Sgt. Roberts served two tours in Iraq and in the midst of his second tour Sgt. Robert’s unit was driving under a bridge and struck an IED. After the explosion, Sgt. Roberts followed routine and begin to check on his fellow marines. It wasn’t until he kept falling to the right that he realized he had lost his right leg. Along with losing his leg Sgt. Roberts sustained injury to his right arm as well as enduring a traumatic brain injury. After several years of rehabilitation and physical therapy Sgt. Roberts is on his way to a successful recovery.

The “Operation Coming Home” team donated a house to Sgt. Roberts, his wife and their four children. The house has been built with all of the tools and upgrades needed for Sgt. Roberts to live happily and comfortably. “Operation Coming Home” is a wonderful organization that honors and recognizes our American heroes.

In October of 2010 Operation Coming Home qualified for the Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Each individual that volunteer their time to the 2010 Hero Home received the Presidential Volunteer Certificate, Presidential Lapel Pin, and a letter from the President of the United States. Since the dance team participated in “Operation Coming Home” in 2008 as well as 2010 they too qualified for the Presidential Volunteer Award and were presented with their awards on January 23, 2011 in front of the Wolfpack faithful at a Men’s home basketball game.

The NC State dance team would like to thank the HBA and TREACV for continuing to present us with this service opportunity, as well as all of the men and women currently and previously serving in our armed forces. Nothing we could ever do could compare to the sacrifices that you make for us but it is our great pleasure to do all that we can in your honor.

It’s OUR TIME…to give back!

Throughout the year you can often find members of the dance team raising funds and accepting donations to support the program they work so hard to be a part of. Each member also participates in obtaining sponsorships individually for the team and takes a lot of pride in the earnings they are able to acquire.

It has always been characteristic of the program to be available to the Wolfpack community and to organizations that support NC State University.  We did however, make the decision this year to expand on that idea and show our support to communities and organizations that embrace charitable causes and ideals.

This year the Howlin’ Hunnies have decided to focus their supportive efforts on two specific causes, Autism Awareness and Breast Cancer Awareness. Both the issues of Autism and Breast Cancer have had a personal affect on one or more of our members and/or coaches and therefore take on incredible meaning and significance to the team.

Please look for information regarding our fundraising efforts for these two important causes and feel free to contact our fundraising representatives, ncstatedanceteam@gmail.com, with ideas, events, personal stories we can share on our website, or offers for the team to participate or make appearances at functions.

On Sunday October 3, 2010, the NC State dance team traveled to Koka Booth at Regency Park in Cary to participate in a great local cause, Maripolooza. Maripolooza is an event put on by the Mariposa School, a non-profit organization created for the education of children with Autism and other developmental disabilities, to promote fund raising and friend finding for the students of the Mariposa School.  The event included performances by the NC State Dance Team as well as Mind the Gap, The Hotwires, The Magic Pipers Band, and The Cary Family YMCA SuperSkippers.

The Dance Team performed a demonstration of “game day cadences” as well as a thirty-second routine. After performing, members of the team were put to work at various food and activity booths. From helping children with arts and crafts to serving pizza and barbeque, the NC State dancers were able to meet and interact with students of the Mariposa School and were humbled through their involvement with this event.

As members and coaches of the Dance Team have been personally affected by Autism, this developmental disability has been the focus of many of the team’s supportive efforts throughout the community this year. This third annual Maripolooza was a huge success in raising funds and promoting friendship among the Mariposa School’s students. Staff from the Mariposa School was thankful for the Dance Team’s presence at Maripolooza 2010 and the Dance Team already looks forward to being involved with next year’s event.