Liz Patterson and a couple of her Georgia Tech volleyball teammates stood outside Bobby Dodd Stadium during the final home football game of the 2021, hoping to best University of Georgia fans off the field. The friendly wager between Tech and Georgia fans — who could donate the most money and toys? — benefited the Atlanta Children’s Shelter.
“Just trying to get everyone to come together regardless of what colors you were wearing and what team you were supporting and show that we can always give back to the community,” said Patterson, a senior. “It’s just a fun event.”
The tradition continues on Nov. 25 for the 23rd consecutive year as Georgia Tech student athletes host the Michael Isenhour Toy Drive. Isenhour, a former Georgia Tech basketball player, launched the event after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to help families impacted by the tragedy.
The drive was named in honor of the Lawrenceville native after he died in 2002 after a battle with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
The drive, always held at the last home game of the football season, benefits the Atlanta Children’s Shelter and honors Isenhour.
“It’s just awesome to continue his legacy and be able to share something that is not just a plaque or just a memory or recognizing him during a timeout, it’s something bigger than that,” said Patterson, who is president of the Georgia Tech Student Athlete Advisory Board. “We are making an impact. We are taking steps to keep improving the community and keep giving back to others and that’s what he would have wanted.”
Credit: Georgia Tech Athletics
Credit: Georgia Tech Athletics
Last year was the first time Myles Collins, a senior on the cross country team, participated in the toy drive.
“As a student athlete, being a part of the Georgia Tech community, so much is given to us — different resources, opportunities,” Collins said. “I feel it’s even greater when you can give back and help those children get those toys that they need to help it be a better holiday for them.”
The drive raised $10,000 and more than 18 bags of toys last year.
Atlanta Children’s Shelter executive director Cameron Turner joined the organization earlier this year.
“I’m excited to experience it for my first time this year,” she said of the toy drive. “Meeting Georgia Tech and their leadership team, you can see their passion behind it and we are just so grateful for them.”
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com
The toy drive helps families currently at the shelter and those who have moved into homes of their own but are still in need.
“Every time that someone donates a toy or donates a dollar to the Atlanta Children’s Shelter, they are providing hope for a family, they are adding to self-sufficiency and a future for these kids,” Turner said. “Even the smallest step of one toy, one dollar, it really goes a long way.”
Donations also allow parents to shop for free for their children at the shelter’s annual Holiday House event, scheduled to start December 11.
The shelter, founded in 1986, provides free day care, emotional support and educational curriculum for homeless children and services for families. Volunteers and donations are needed year-round, Turner said.
To donate at the annual drive, fans heading to the game can drop off unwrapped toys at boxes located at every entrance of the stadium before the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. QR codes posted next to the boxes will allow fans to donate funds through their phones.
“I can’t wait,” Turner said. “I’ve been working in Atlanta non-profits for 23 years. It’s these kind of events, where the community rallies around an organization, that really gets us all fired up. At the end of the day, families, they feel the love, they feel like they are supported and taken care of.”
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