Big Bend Athletics Announces Inaugural Future 509 Campaign
Big Bend Community College Athletics is excited to announce the formation of Future 509: Beyond the Bend, the official service arm of Viking athletics. As a kickoff to the program, each of Big Bend's seven athletic teams will use Thursday, May 9th, 2024 as an opportunity to extensively serve our community through several specific projects.
Future 509: Beyond the Bend was created with a singular mission – to empower Big Bend student-athletes to achieve their greatest potential impact in all walks of life. By leveraging the Viking name for positive community impact through partnerships with various community and non-profit organizations, student-athletes can bring much-needed attention to important community causes, thereby enriching our community, creating a lasting footprint, and honoring those who have worn the Viking uniform in the past.
"Our coaches take seriously the charge of raising up the next generation of servant-leaders, realizing that the foundation to that charge starts first in the 509," stated second-year Director of Athletics John Meeks. "Our student-athletes come to the 509 from all areas of the globe, desiring to make the greatest possible impact in their time here. That impact extends beyond athletics, beyond the win/loss column, and beyond Big Bend Community College itself, to all of 509."
With the understanding that hunger is one of the major needs in our community, Big Bend student-athletes plan to answer that call, as they will host a free lunch for the campus community from 11:00am to 1:00pm on May 9th, in the DeVries Activity Center (2000 building). During the same hours, an additional group of student-athletes will host a free lunch for the community at large in downtown Moses Lake (site TBD). In those hours before and after lunch on May 9th, student-athletes will complete a variety of service projects, including, but not limited to, work with the local school systems, those who are homeless, as well as the animal shelter.
"German diarist Anne Frank said, 'No one has ever become poor by giving,'" added Meeks. "Our plan is that May 9th serves as a catalyst for the future of the 509 and abroad. We may never fully understand the impact this project can have as, in addition to the narrative we hope to live out in the 509, the 509 can also impact this narrative 'Beyond the Bend,' by partnering with us in this most important work. We want our student-athletes to carry this servant-leadership impact with them to their hometowns … wherever they may go in life … to make the largest impact possible 'Beyond the Bend.'"
For more information about Future 509: Beyond the Bend and your opportunity to support this project, click HERE.