NATCHITOCHES -- The Northwestern State Student-Athlete Advisory Committee completed its 2011-12 “Pop Tab” drive to raise funds for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital and was so successful, NSU won the Southland Conference “Pop Tab Challenge” over the other 11 league members.
 
With the help of other student organizations on campus, Northwestern State collected a record 297.61 pounds of tabs from soft drink cans.
 
Throughout 2011-12, student-athletes around the Southland Conference collected pop tabs, which will be turned over for recycling. The money will go to St. Jude's. NSU's 2011-12 total shattered the previous record of 195.72 pounds set by Sam Houston State last year.
 
The entire Northwestern State campus, including SAAC, Greek Life, Student Activities and other on-campus organizations, contributed to the drive.
 
“We were so excited to learn that we had won the Pop Top Challenge.  We couldn't be more thankful for the backing from campus to assist us in raising a record amount of pop tops and giving to such a great hospital, St. Jude's,” said Carrie Crowell, NSU's senior woman administrator and advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 
 
“A major thank you goes out to all campus organizations, especially the Up 'Til Dawn board, who focuses solely on raising money for St. Jude's Children's Hospital.  Every year I am speechless at the amount of work our student-athletes put into serving others, and this year is no different.  The student-athletes and NSU student body as a whole deserve all of the credit,” she said.
 
The “Pop Tab Drive” is one of several community service projects Northwestern student-athletes undertake, most which help the Natchitoches community. Demon student-athletes also take part in activities that support organizations such as Samaritan's Feet, Operation Support Our Troops, American Cancer Society, Special Olympics, Cane River Children's Home, CASA,  and many other local community groups, while making countless appearances at local schools, community centers, civic events and nursing homes.
 
“It is a privilege for the NSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee to win the annual Southland Conference Pop Top Challenge but the real winners are the patients at St. Jude's Children's Hospital who will not only benefit from the efforts on our campus, but from the dedicated efforts of so many across all Southland Conference campuses,” said Greg Burke, NSU's athletics director.  “We constantly promote the 'Victorious for Life' program as a vehicle through which our student-athletes learn the value of community service and projects like this accentuate the importance of how that service truly makes a difference for those in need of assistance.”
 
During the last two years, NSU athletics have donated almost 10,000 hours of community service and aims to continue contributing at least 5,000 hours of community service per year.