University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Visit Amplatz Children's Hospital
1/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
As the Gophers prepare for a great series against Minnesota Duluth this weekend, the team took time after practice Tuesday and visited the Amplatz Children's Hospital on the University of Minnesota campus.
Organized by Gophers' assistant captain Sarah Erickson, 16 of the student-athletes went to the hospital at 1:30 p.m. The Gophers were split between three groups. Erickson, Megan Bozek and Jenny Lura went into the first group and visited with a five-year-old boy named James. He whooped them FIFA video games and they chatted about sports. "It was an unbelievable opportunity for both James and our group," Erickson said. "The best part was to see the constant smile and drive the kids have; all of them give off a really contagious joy for life."
In the second group it was Sam Downey, Laura May, Terra Rasmussen, Kelly Seeler and Kelly Terry. The third group was Sarah Davis, Katie Frischmann, Baylee Gillanders, Anne Schleper, Bethany Brausen, Mira Jalosuo, Becky Kortum and Ashley Stenerson. The other two groups went into two different wings and went from hospital room to the next, talking and playing with the kids and passing out posters.
"I've always been intrigued by the drive that children have, especially children that go through what the kids at the Amplatz Children's Hospital go through on a daily basis," Erickson said. "I contacted Anissa Lightner and she did a great job of directing me to Sara Ferden who works at the Amplatz Children's Hospital on campus. I thought it would be a fun opportunity for our team to introduce and interact with the kids around the hospital."
Erickson states that she'd like to make it an ongoing tradition. "There's nothing more heart warming than impacting a child's life and seeing those kids smile. Little do they know, they impact our lives just as much."
