SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio -- During the months of November and December, Notre Dame College women's bowling collected winter clothing items for the non-profit Sub Zero Mission. The items were distributed to homeless veterans, and others with non-military backgrounds, to assist them in staying warm and getting back on their feet.

"While it is easy to think of bowling as an individual sport, it is absolutely a team effort at the collegiate level, and the Falcon women have been working all season to assist each other on the lanes," head coach Tom Reid said. "It was so rewarding to see them extend that attitude of helpfulness to others in need with the Sub Zero project, and to provide a bit of warmth to folks left out in the cold this winter."

The Falcons collected blankets, scarves, sleeping bags, new socks, hats, gloves and coats. They delivered 142 items to Sub Zero during finals week last semester.



"Sub Zero is a nonprofit organization and their mission is to prevent freezing and injury caused by extreme weather exposure to the homeless," said Lindsey Benko, who was a member of the bowling program and graduated from NDC in December. "They have the saying, 'Nobody should freeze to death in America.' Seeing this group of people going out and taking care of others showcases this great sense of humility. While most people want nothing to do with going out into the cold, they go out in the winter and snow on their own time to pass out items and resources to those they know do not have the means to keep warm.

Sub Zero headquarters is in my hometown. I've known about and taken interest in them for years from previous community events where they advocated their organization. When our team needed a service project, I knew this organization was one I wanted to help out."



Sub Zero focuses on collecting what it calls the Stay Alive 5: hats, gloves, boots, jackets and sleeping bags. The "Blue Coat Missionaries" deliver the items to those in need as a part of the mission, which was started by veterans.

They became a recognized charity in 2011. According to its website, subzeromission.org, the organization began by sending the donations directly to the homeless in Cuyahoga County and Lake County. Sub Zero is now providing winter clothing to those in need in Columbus, Akron and Youngstown, to name a few. They have also reached cities outside of Ohio like Buffalo, N.Y., Erie, Pa. and Pittsburgh.