September 9, 20117 Opinion

We are all just one mistake away from being hungry and homeless. Over the past few weeks, my eyes have been opened to the reality of where one wrong step can land you and the need to help those who are there. E v e r y week I volunteer at the Community of Joy Food Pantry in Bettendorf. I hate to admit it, but it was something I began doing because of how it would look on college applications. I knew it would be helping people who could not afford food for their families. But I did not truly understand what was happening until I met real victims. Each family gets one box of pantry items, a bag of cold items and any other items they might need. Just one dollar donated to Churches United (www.cuqca.org/cms) can buy six pounds of food for the food pantry. On average, the food pantry serves 35 families every week. Towards the end of the month, especially the last week, food stamps run out. Once we served a total of 101 people.

A few weeks ago no families had been around for almost an hour and a half, when a tall, balding man poked his head through the door and asked in a cheery voice if he could get some food.

I learned that he was homeless and had just published a book to help people turn their lives around. He was from New England, trying to survive another week until his social security check came so he could drive home. He lived in an old station wagon with rusting paint in a parking lot but he was not how I envisioned a homeless man. He was joyful and funny, an odd attitude for someone in his situation.

Volunteerism changes livesby Jordan RasoAssistant Editor

Just one dollar can buy six pounds of food for the Community of Joy food pantry. (Photo by Jordan Raso)

If one were to ask any normal teenager what they would do on a 90+ degree day, most would say something along the lines of sitting inside on the couch watching TV or playing video games. However, for football players and cross country runners, there is no staying inside to escape the heat. These athletes practice for two or more hours, five days a week, during some of the hottest months of the year. Unfortunately, recent dress code alterations mean that athletes are no longer allowed to remove their shirts or wear cut-offs during practice, and for many this rule is hard to swallow. So why make such a rule? A few years back, the administration and the school board made a revised dress code for the high school limiting what girls and guys could or couldn’t wear in school. Therefore, in order to keep athletic wear consistent with the school dress code, the dress code was expanded. Under the “Appropriate Student Attire for School and School Sponsored Activities” section of the handbook, it states that “this policy applies to the school day or any school sponsored activity.” Mark Brooks, athletic director, said, “It just didn’t make sense to limit what students could wear in school, yet allow athletes to remove their shirts. The goal of the rule was not to restrict student rights; it was simply to be consistent.” The rule, Brooks said, applies to any athlete that is “perceived as a team connected to the high school.” This covers a wide range of athletic activities, including travelling events and practices not on the high school campus.

by Mitch ParkerStaff Reporter

Athletes angry about T-shirts

He had no refrigerator, so he could not have the cold items. He had a stove in his car, so extra macaroni and noodles were added. In addition, he received things like shampoo and sanitizing wipes. He said people lurked around the parking lot at night, looking for things to steal. He didn’t turn his car on unless he was driving it. If someone tried to break in, a fast getaway was not an option. As one can imagine, his car was packed with all of his belongings. It was hard for me to imagine what it would be like to be in his situation. He stayed for almost a half an hour before leaving to get his gas voucher. When more people came through to receive food after him, I saw them in a different light. I noticed how some hesitantly came in, unsure about how they would be treated. They seemed to mask their feelings. Some looked ashamed, others were very talkative. One couple was very talkative, hiding any indication that they were nervous. Most are alone and are very quiet, glancing up every so often. A woman with three young children was very quiet and shy when she first arrived, but after we talked to her, she opened up. I could tell she knew we wouldn’t treat her differently, just because her family was hungry. People who have been to the shelter before know that the people who volunteer at the shelter are there to help

them. The food pantry is one of the only places where they are not judged and criticized because of their situation. It seems like sometimes we push the people who truly need help out of our lives, because they seem to carry problems with them. They are an easy scapegoat because they are different. I suppose I had been doing this. I subconsciously believed that if I got involved with the hungry or the homeless, it would just create more problems and work for myself. I am ashamed that I thought this at one time, but my thinking is different today. I realized that the people that walk into the food pantry are just like me. They think and have feelings, they are just in a different situation. When I glanced through the doorway and saw a girl my age receiving a box of food, it really hit home. I realized that the girl could be me, and at any time something could happen that would put me in the same situation. The only thing that separated her from me was a wall that could easily be broken. I would say that the food pantry has changed my life. Not only do I look forward to going to help, but I truly understand what is happening. We have to remember there is no guarantee that we are immune to their situation . Everyone is entitled to help without judgment and no one deserves to be alone, no matter who they are.

With frequent rest and plenty of water it would seem that practice, even in brutally hot conditions, would not be overwhelmingly strenuous. Unfortunately,

on hot days or in the heat in the gym, keeping T-shirts on can become a burden. Furthermore, in temperatures that rise above 90 degrees, not taking off a T-shirt can lead to discomfort and overheating for the athlete. “When you practice on a hot day, your T-shirt can get really sweaty and it gets heavy and makes it hard to run,” junior Baylor Hill said. Many cross country runners in particular feel that the rule unfairly affects them. It is a common sight in all types of

running races to see runners removing their shirts or women wearing sports bras. “Running shirtless isn’t just a Bettendorf thing, it’s part of running

culture,” Ian Francis, a boys varsity cross country runner, said. Ryan Hamby, another varsity runner, added, “I mean, how would a lawyer or business executive feel if he couldn’t wear a tie to work? It’s the same way for runners. Running shirtless is just how it is.” High school cross country runners have also seen Pleasant Valley boys cross country runners running shirtless, so the attitude of a number of high school runners is “well, if they’re allowed, then why can’t we?” Girls cross country has also felt affected. Common running wear for girls is a sports bra, but now they, like the boys, must cover up. And, like the boys, the girls

feel they are unfairly targeted by the rule. “The banned stuff is common athletic wear. Plenty of girls wear sports bras in road races,” runner Sarah Dixon said. I’ve even tried Dri-Fit shirts which are supposed to keep you cool while you run, but even they get sweaty and stick,” Dixon’s teammate Dana Waterman said. Cross country runners aren’t the only ones who have been affected. Soccer players and basketball players are no longer

allowed to work out shirtless. Basketball players can’t even go shirtless in the gym during summer workouts even though the gym gets brutally hot. And soccer players must now wear shirts or practice jerseys, or risk being sent home. “The practice jerseys are too big and slip off anyways. I don’t understand why we can’t just go shirtless. We look good anyway,” Austin Lower, a member of the boys soccer team, said. All in all, the new dress code policy that has affected athletics at the high school has been met with mixed feelings. The goal of the rule was to be consistent with the high school’s dress code policy. While the logic behind the rule makes sense, not everyone is happy about it. For many athletes, practicing in hot conditions while wearing a hot and sweaty T-shirt is not fun. These athletes feel that some kind of change or compromise needs to be reached regarding the rule. This compromise would not be because athletes get preferential treatment. No. It would be because athletes have more fun in comfortable and relaxing clothes. Also, being able to remove shirts would keep athletes cool on hot days, and minimize the risk of heat related injuries. Getting rid of the rule is not the goal here. The goal is to reach some form of compromise. While it is understandable for many types of inappropriate clothing to be banned from school and sports, being able to remove one’s T-shirt for a few hours on a hot day is not an unreasonable request. To be honest, there are much worse ways one could dress than removing a T-shirt. Hopefully, a compromise can be reached that would benefit all parties involved.

Soaking wet and exhausted in their T-shirts after a cross country workout, senior Ryan Hamby, junior Baylor Hill, and freshman Tom Parker help each other into the school for a drink. (Photo by Mitch Parker)