Notre Dame junior and his basketball teammates meet with overwhelming success in recently completed community project.
Notre Dame junior Bryce Baringer, seated at left in photo, is with his varsity basketball teammates and Coach Robinson after collecting goods intended for Crossroads for Youth.
He immediately called Susan Ramage, who manages Crossroads for Youth, an Oxford-based organization whose main goal is creating a positive environment for children.
“I introduced myself, informed her that I read the article in the paper and asked what donations her organization specifically needed,” said Baringer, who is a forward on Notre Dame’s varsity basketball team. “Upon ending our conversation, I sent out a mass email to my fellow basketball teammates as well as to their parents and our coach.”
In his email, he briefly described his conversation with Crossroads, the population it serves, and its motto. He then then went on to explain that he thought that student-athletes from NDP were very fortunate to attend a terrific school where they are blessed with parents, family and an "NDP family" that cares for them, supports them and encourages the many opportunities available for their personal and academic growth and success.
“I wrote that I can't imagine not being supported in my education, or even just having my basic human needs of shelter, food, clothing provided to me in a safe and loving environment,” Barring said. “I then asked if as a team we could come together, representing our school and varsity basketball team to hold what I called the ‘Crossroads for Youth Necessity Drive.’ I explained that participation in this drive was completely voluntary and if any teammate was unable to purchase an item, that I could use their help in organizing and cataloging our donations. I am so excited to say that 100 percent of our team participated!”
Baringer, who has been a student at Notre Dame since junior-kindergarten, said the young people who Crossroads serves are boys and girls aged 11-17.
“These kids are provided services in the residential program, an abuse and neglect program, the achievement program and the day treatment program,” he added. “Basically these kids (residents) have been labeled ‘at risk’ and have all been removed from their homes. They are living at Crossroads, which provides a safe environment for them while offering individual, group and family therapy, encouraging personal growth, promoting problem-solving skills, team building, leadership.”
He’s also learned that the ultimate goal of Crossroads is the successful return of the children back to their parental homes or family foster homes or, if needed, getting them into state-approved foster homes.
Baringer and his Irish basketball teammates ended up collecting the following items for Crossroads: 16 twin-size pillows, 18 sets of twin-size bedsheets, 20 extra-large bath towels, 44 wash/face towels, seven hand towels, 95 pairs of socks/footies, 16 journals, 40 pens and 11 sheets of stickers.
He said the items, which were valued at approximately $1,200, were delivered by himself and five of his teammates in early March to Crossroads. It was there that he met Terra Leach, who is the director of development at Crossroads, who told the boys that she couldn’t thank them enough for the tremendous effort they put into the drive.
“I was so proud that 100 percent of our team participated in this drive,” Baringer said. “It also was so successful due to the overwhelming support I received from parents. The other really telling aspect is that our senior players, Matt and Andy Durkin, Ryan MacIntyre and Pat Bridges, gladly participated in this drive even though their Christian-service requirement deadline of February 1 had passed, which I was unaware of prior to sending out my initial email to the team. I cannot adequately express how tremendously grateful and excited I was to present our team's donations to Crossroads.”
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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy
Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.