Oct. 25, 2010

In the spirit of Halloween, the UMass Lowell softball team will be trick-or-treating for a good cause. The squad will be conducting its second annual Trick-or-Treating for Canned Goods on Sunday, Oct. 31 and will go door-to-door in Lowell to collect non-perishable items for the greater Lowell community, as well as candy for troops overseas.

All members of the River Hawk softball team will pass through various neighborhoods in and around the greater Lowell area, requesting candy for soldiers, as well as non-perishable, canned food donations to benefit those that are struggling, as the cold fall weather sets in. Any and all donations are appreciated.

“This is an event I started over ten years ago at Plattsburgh State and our players really took off with it last year,” Head Coach Sean Cotter said. “We collected over 1,500 pounds of food last year, and our goal is to double that amount on Sunday.”

Cotter has built this tradition from his time as head coach at Plattsburgh, beginning in 2001. In seven years, they collected over 20,000 canned goods for local food pantries and Cotter believes his current squad is well on its way to carry on the tradition here in Lowell.

“This is the first year we have collected candy for our troops abroad and I think it will really add to the event,” Cotter said. “We are hoping to bring a little piece of home to our troops overseas.”

If you have any questions about the event, call the softball office at (978) 934-3977.