Hempstead, NY - One hundred sixty-nine Hofstra University student-athletes were part of a group of more than 800 students from 62 campus organizations that volunteered in the ninth annual Shake-A-Rake this past Saturday. The number of participants was a new record for the event, which started in 2009 with 50 students volunteering at six neighborhood houses. 

This year, students representing groups that included athletics, club sports, fraternities and sororities, commuting students and student government traveled around the University's surrounding neighborhoods to rake leaves at 61 homes of mostly elderly or disabled neighbors. They also cleared the 1.5-acre yard of the John J. Byrne Community Center in Uniondale, as well as the grounds of the Cameron Estates Garden in Hempstead.

The annual program aims to connect Hofstra University with those in need in the surrounding community. The program has grown every year since its inception and the 2017 turnout of 815 bested the previous high of 660 students in 2016.

"Community service has become an essential part of our athletic program," stated Hofstra Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway. "Our student-athletes initiate and implement so many of these outstanding projects that benefit thousands of people over the course of the year. Shake-A-Rake is a wonderful way for our student-athletes to join together with other Hofstra students to help members of our community that need assistance in the fall with their yard clean up. In addition to helping the residents, Shake-A-Rake certainly reinforces the relationship with the neighbors where many of our team members live. I'm always proud of our teams when they give back to help others in our surrounding communities."

The reaction of Hofstra's student-athletes who took part was enthusiastic. "This was my fourth year participating in Shake-A-Rake and it is something that I love being a part of every year," said senior women's golfer Shannon Haselton. "It is so great to see my teammates and so many other Hofstra students come together on a Saturday morning to give back to our extremely supportive community." Senior women's soccer student-athlete Noriana Radwan echoed Haselton's sentiments, saying, "Overall, it was super fun coming together with all of the athletic, campus and Greek organizations. It was a great Hofstra family atmosphere and it felt good to give back to the community as well." Junior men's golfer Kenyon Kautz, who also serves on the Hofstra Student-Athlete Advisory Committee board, summed up the experience by saying, "Shake-A-Rake is a great time for all the athletes and others involved. We get to have fun and at the same time help out the community. It's the type of thing we look forward to every year. I'm always happy to do what I can."

"Our students really embrace this project and work together to accomplish it," said Anita Ellis, director of Commuting Student Services and Community Outreach and coordinator of Shake-A-Rake. "I'm thrilled that our local civic leaders could come and see the real heart of our student body."