February 24, 2009

Vikings In The Community:
Long Beach women's volleyball helping to clean up the beach

On Saturday, LBCC women's AD Connie Sears, women's volleyball coach Suzie Witmer and members of Witmer's team participated in a volunteer 30-minute beach clean-up, part of an effort by the college to get its student-athletes involved in activities that benefit the Long Beach community.

"Basically, we're creating balance (in the student-athletes' lives)," said Sears, who has helped spearhead programs at LBCC that combine athletics, academics and community involvement. "You have to have balance. I'm really a strong believer in that."

Witmer and the majority of her team, as well as Sears and her family, joined community activist Justin Rudd in his monthly beach clean-up campaign. They cleaned from Granada Beach to Belmont Plaza.

"It was a lot of fun," Sears said. "The girls had a great time."

Sears said LBCC student-athletes have volunteered with other community events, including the Special Olympics, and she hopes more coaches and teams participate in the future.

The 30-minute beach clean-up takes place at 10 a.m. on the third Saturday of every month at Granada Beach.

Story by David Felton, Long Beach Press-Telegram