ASHEVILLE, NC – The Arcadia University Department of Athletics traveled to Asheville, North Carolina with eight staff members and 13 student-athletes for a Hurricane Helene relief service trip in May 2025.
 
Associate Director of Athletics and Head Athletic Trainer Danielle Duffy led the group of 21 to three full days of service work. The group partnered with Asheville Habitat for Humanity, Valley Hope Foundation, and Charles D. Owen Middle School.
 
The group included staff members Duffy, Paul Diorio, Kylie Balthaser, Kyle Greene, Amanda Crampton, Theresa Reed, Alix Cucinotta, and Yerami Jiminez and student-athletes Destiny Barnett (Track and Field), Diego McClendon (Esports), Elaina Foley (Women's Basketball), Gianna Sube (Track and Field), Jamal Carr (Men's Basketball), Karolina Iordache '25 (Women's Tennis), Masai Pines-Elliott '25 (Track and Field), Miles Daniels (Track and Field), Mo Elbahwati (Esports), Paige Agnew (Track and Field), Ramses Valera (Track and Field), Skyla Paslo (Esports), and Taylor McCue (Track and Field).
 
DAY 1
The Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity crew helped the Knights get right to work leveling the ground and laying sod for a house that sells in just two weeks. The group met habitat volunteers that have been doing this work for 14+ years, as well as people in the neighborhood that are now helping to build their neighbors' houses. At the end of the day, the Knights had laid sod for two and a half houses, making a huge impact on the presentation of the houses.
 

 
After a long day of physical activity, the Knights bonded over games of Uno and s'more making around the fire.
 

 
DAY 2
On the second full day the group helped the Valley Hope Foundation package food to feed over 4,000 people and helped distribute that food to other groups in the area doing this important work. The Knights delivered to Spokes of Hope, Bat Cave Disaster Relief, Budgies Bake Shop, Sisters in Christ Restoration and Recovery Ministry, and Blunt Pretzels. While making deliveries of goods, staff and students were able to meet people that had been helping to rebuild communities following the storm, as well as other non-profits that are providing free meals to families or shelter to those recovering from addiction. 


 
Arcadia's Student Engagement Office sponsored Day two's post-volunteering bonding activity and dinner. The group went axe throwing at Axeville Asheville where the staff and students continued to build new bonds, followed by a catered dinner from Rocky's Hot Chicken. 
 

 
DAY 3
The Knights' last full day in North Carolina was spent at Charles D. Owen Middle School. The group brought smiling faces to gym classes, helped pack up their resource room to be relocated, built shelves, scrubbed floors, donated gym equipment, participated in choir class, cleaned and served in the cafeteria, and picked up trash around campus. Visiting the students at Owen Middle provided inspiration and positivity after many of their families experienced devastation from the hurricane last year.
 



To round out the trip, the group threw a final jam karaoke night around the fire pit where everyone put their talents on display. 
 

 
"Something I've known for years is how exceptional our students and staff are, so when the opportunity arose to share our awesome humans with those in need - it was a no brainer," shared Duffy. "The second I read over the answers to 'what do you hope to give and/or gain from this trip?' I knew this was a really special group that was going to make a huge difference. Despite athletes typically having stats or receiving praise, it was really special to see how much good could be done when nobody cared who got the credit. It was in giving to others that we received more than any of us could have imagined and we will continue to do all the good we can as often as we can."
 

Student-Athletes who participated in the service trip had the following to say: 
"It was genuinely an amazing experience and changed my perspective while making some new friends." - Valera
 
"It was amazing, top three trips I've ever taken." - Car
 
"It was really an amazing experience and it couldn't have been with a better group of people. Definitely something I will hold on to for life!" - Foley.
 
"The trip was amazing, we impacted a lot of lives and my life was impacted by being there as well." - Barnett
 
"I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity to befriend this group and to help people in need." - Elbahwati