NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- As we continue to celebrate the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin's (CCIW) 75th anniversary in 2020-21, the conference will recognize the great work of our student-athlete through the 75 Acts of Kindness campaign. 

While COVID-19 poses many challenges for our conference members, our student-athletes are committed to continuing to give back to their communities. 

CCIW institutions will report on their various Acts of Kindness throughout the year with the goal of each athletics department performing at least 75 Acts of Kindness. This can include, but are not limited to, community service events like a canned food or clothing drive, volunteering to spend time virtually with local schools, or an event with an organization like Special Olympics. Additionally, student-athletes can also report on any community service activities they do on their own.

The conference will recognize these Acts of Kindness through April when institutions are recognized during the CCIW's end-of-year Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) meeting.

Here is a summary of our student-athlete's progress:

75 Acts of Kindness Report (November 2020)

At Millikin, 30 members of the women's volleyball team met the University Grounds crew to plant mums around campus (pictured below, top right). Additionally, 25 women's volleyball student-athletes also wrote letters of encouragement to hospitalized COVID-19 patients being held in isolation. 

At Elmhurst, 25 women's basketball student-athletes made dog toys out of recycled t-shirts and donated them to local animal shelters through the Hinsdale Animal Hospital (pictured below, bottom row), while 14 student-athletes from multiple teams took part in a community garden cleanup to prepare for winter and spring planting. 

At Carthage, 24 men's cross country student-athletes dedicated a virtual competition to Black Lives Matter and raised $1,420 for Carthage's Center for Equity and Inclusion. Additionally, 11 women's golf student-athletes helped with the recovery efforts in Kenosha, Wisconsin following two nights of civil unrest (pictured below, top left). The team spent the day serving food, painting murals, emptying trash, and collecting donations for the rebuilding efforts.

At Illinois Wesleyan, 15 women's basketball student-athletes worked as course directors for the Easter Seals Walk/Run the Woods race, while three women's basketball student-athletes took lunch to an elderly Titans fan. 


 

75 Acts of Kindness Totals (November 2020)
Institution	Acts of Kindness Total
Millikin	55
Elmhurst	39
Carthage	35
Illinois Wesleyan	18

 
The College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin (CCIW) was founded in 1946 and currently services nine member institutions including Augustana College (Rock Island, IL), Carroll University (Waukesha, WI), Carthage College (Kenosha, WI), Elmhurst University (Elmhurst, IL), Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, IL), Millikin University (Decatur, IL), North Central College (Naperville, IL), North Park University (Chicago, IL) and Wheaton College (Wheaton, IL).