AUBURN, Ala. – Even before his first Auburn football practice, freshman linebacker Kameron Brown has already gone on his first Auburn community service trip.
"I enjoy community service," said Brown, whose older brother Derrick serves as Auburn's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee president. "Derrick has always inspired me. When you get here to Auburn, you're representing thousands."
Family tradition: Like his older brother Derrick, Auburn freshman Kameron Brown enjoys community service
SAAC vice-president Allie Riddle and SAAC secretary Meredith Sylvia, Auburn gymnastics teammates, organized the outing to Birmingham in mid-July.
Ten Auburn student-athletes worked on a Habitat for Humanity house in Pleasant Grove on Saturday, July 13, landscaping, painting and constructing porch rails and steps while meeting the homeowner.
"It was hot out there, but that was really fun to me because you're helping somebody who needed your help," said Brown. "It was fun meeting them because they were talking about how they're grateful for our help. They were asking us which sports we play at Auburn."
"The owner came by and took a picture with us," Riddle said. "She was ecstatic that there were Auburn athletes there. To them, It's like celebrities are helping them, and we don't feel that way, but it makes an impact greater than you would ever know."
Auburn's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee team at Birmingham's Ronald McDonald House
The next morning, the Auburn student-athletes provided brunch for families at the Ronald McDonald House in Birmingham, continuing a partnership Auburn gymnastics has developed through the annual Elevate the Stage meet.
"It's a pretty tough time for them, when your child is sick," Sylvia said. "Even if it was just a small meal, we were able to provide quality time and a meal. It was really what they looked forward to in the day."
"That was probably one of my favorite parts of the trip because after we served them brunch we got to go around and talk to each of the families," Riddle said. "Some of them are so alone because their spouses had to work. The amount of gratitude I got for just taking two minutes to sit down and learn about their story was just overwhelming. They were like, 'Thank you so much for listening.' Sometimes you don't realize the little things you do add up to a lot.
"Sitting down and listening to them is something that was really healing for them and really humbling for us."
Women's basketball's Kiyae' White landscapes at a Habitat for Humanity home near Birmingham
Other student-athlete participants included Jacob Quattlebaum (football), Kiyae' White and Erin Howard (women's basketball), Malik Metiver, Marrel Parker and John Putnam (track and field) and Adeline Sabados (gymnastics).
"A lot of people said one of the greatest things about Auburn Athletics is that they give us the option and the resources to be able to serve and give back to the community like we do," Riddle said. "A lot of people don't get to do that on a daily basis, so when the opportunity arose, they were so happy they went."
This the fifth year that SAAC has done community service projects outside of Lee County with the intent of giving back throughout the state.
"It's very gratifying," Sylvia said. "It's one of the best things. We all love playing our sport and being part of a team, but the things we remember 10 years down the line are the things we did on the weekends, on our off days, the things we volunteered for that weren't mandatory, and the things that actually made a difference in the community around us. That's what we're going to remember 10 years from now."
'Made a difference': Auburn gymnasts and football players work at a Habitat for Humanity home
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer