BEREA, Ohio --  Every year when the Baldwin Wallace University football team comes to preseason camp, each Yellow Jacket football student-athletes returns to campus with a box or bag of school supplies and a note of encouragement for needy children. For a number of years, Head Coach John Snell has worked with Frannie Milward of the Church Street Ministries Group in Berea in an effort to benefit young children who are not as fortunate as some others.

"We are committed to community service," said Snell, who is in his 13th season at his alma mater and owns a 77-45 career record with one NCAA Division III Playoff appearance to his credit. "We want our student-athletes to help others. We want them to realize sacrifice and how we can help others in the classroom, off the field and on the field. I think our student-athletes have grown to enjoy the programs and the interaction with others who may be less fortunate than themselves."

The event takes place at the annual opening day Family Team Picnic at Strosaker Hall (the student union). Milward and some members of her staff join Coach Snell and the team for the picnic.  Then the members of the senior class take a group picture with Snell, Milward and her staff.  Then its time for the supplies to be loaded onto a truck and taken to be utilized by children in need.

"This is a fantastic event each year and I would like to thank coach Snell and his staff, the young men who play football at Baldwin Wallace University and the university administration for both their generosity and community service," said Milward.  "We believe in helping others and the school supplies go a long way toward helping so many young children.

"The most important component of the supplies from each BW student-athlete is the beautiful messages of encouragement that the young men write to the children," continued Milward. "The messages and encouraging and make a difference.  We just can't thank coach Snell and his staff more."

The Yellow Jackets begin preseason practices on Monday, August 18 and play their first game on Saturday, September 13 against Bluffton University on Family & Communinty Day in Berea at 2:00 p.m.  The annual Family & Community Day picnic begins in the North Quad at 12:00 noon.  For more information on the Family & Community Day picnic, please visit the web site at http://www.b-wcommunity.net/page.aspx?pid=267&cid=2&ceid=287&cerid=0&cdt=9%2f13%2f2014.

At halftime of that game, the University will recognize its five 2014 CAPITAL ONE Academic All-Americans, including three 2013 football student-athletes, graduates Zack Barley '14 and David Flegal '14 and current senior Joe Kasper '15, who is not playing football this season and is interning with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.