Following their annual tradition, T.C. Roberson High Baseball players gathered turkeys and sides for 27 Progressive Education Program (PEP) families. Their aim is to give a helping hand to these busy families by reducing the cost burden and stress of shopping for a Thanksgiving meal.
“We try to lead by example,” said senior center fielder JT Gordon. “We’re not just here to play baseball. We’re here to make people smile and feel happy.”
“We get a lot of support at our games, and we like giving back,” added senior pitcher Cole Penland. “The holidays can be crazy, so we just like to help out.”
The team has a deep partnership with PEP. In past years, players have served as prom escorts, peer tutors, and they have hosted an adaptive baseball league during the summer. They helped build additional handicap-accessible seating at the baseball stadium, and PEP students have thrown the first pitch at home games.
“It’s a special thing to a lot of our students,” said Assistant Coach Dave Heath. “They serve as mentors and helpers with the PEP program, and they help with the adaptive baseball league in the summer. I think the students get a lot of joy out of this.”