LORETTO, Pa. – A tradition of community service doesn't take a year off.
 
Saint Francis student-athletes have a consistent reputation for making an impact in the campus and local communities. When the pandemic uprooted an annual conference-wide community service event, Red Flash student-athletes found a way to use their experience in helping others and continue that tradition.
 
In a non-CoVID season, the Northeast Conference holds a Money Wars competition among its 10 member schools during basketball season to raise money for the Children's Cancer Recovery Foundation. Saint Francis has won the event – a win that involves collecting the most in donations – in each of the last three years and five times in the competition's 11-year history.
 
The last 13 months have caused almost all plans to be changed, as the foundation that benefited from the event closed its doors, and the doors were closed to fans at NEC basketball games this winter. The conference-wide competition was paused for a year, but conference members were encouraged to continue making an impact for charities of their choice.
 
For the Red Flash, it was second nature.
 
Jakob Zernick is a dedicated Red Flash fan, a high school student in Ebensburg, and a teenage philanthropist. Zernick, who was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease at eight years old, has received treatment at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.
 
Zernick's experience at Children's inspired him to give back to the hospital in a unique way. Through the sale of produce as well as the ability to teach others about gardening, he raises funds for Children's Hospital by selling vegetables he grows from seed in his garden, donations, and various fundraisers.

The Zernicks are season-ticket holders in Loretto, and despite their absence in DeGol Arena this winter, they still provided a presence to support the Red Flash basketball teams. Custom signs, like the ones Jakob holds up in the crowd, were displayed on the closed seating section behind the Saint Francis bench to give the players encouragement.
 
That dedication to philanthropy and to the Red Flash made Seedz 4 Needz an easy pick for Saint Francis' Money Wars partner.
 
The 10-day fundraiser allowed for friendly competition between the Red Flash programs to grow the dollar amount for Seedz 4 Needz. Women's volleyball captured the team title for the event with lacrosse, swimming, and field hockey rounding out the top four. In total, Red Flash student-athletes raised $3,471 for the organization.
 
The women's volleyball program – one of numerous Saint Francis teams with strong roots in community service – embraced the opportunity to make an impact in this trying year.
 
"When I came in as a freshman, I saw our upperclassmen really push community service," said women's volleyball junior and SAAC E-Board member Nicole Adams. "It showed our class how important it is, and now for us as juniors, we push that for the underclassmen. We came into that culture, it's important that we continue that culture, and we have a coach (Sara McMullen) who believes in how important that culture is. It's never a question of 'do we do this?' It just comes naturally."

Zernick, who can't wait to be back in DeGol Arena in 2021-22, is appreciative that the Red Flash programs about which he is passionate have used this opportunity to support another one of his passions.

"I am extremely thankful to have such a supporting university nearby such as SFU that was willing to choose my organization for the 2021 Money Wars when they were given the opportunity," said Zernick. "The donation will go excessively beyond to provide a better future for children who are going through immense difficulties within their lives."

While the plans for the NEC-wide event in 2021-22 are to be determined, Red Flash student-athletes hope to have cultivated a new donor base for Seedz 4 Needz.

Whatever tasks or challenges await Red Flash student-athletes, a tradition and culture of community service success on the Loretto campus will continue to grow.

Learn more about Seedz 4 Needz by visiting their website and following the organization on Facebook.

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To learn more about Saint Francis University, visit francis.edu.