"Principal Brown mentioned that they could really use a printer, but couldn't afford that, and I'm thinking 'they're only about $50, and they can't afford that?' " said Molesworth, UWP's Athletic Director since 1996. "For us, it's so easy to go to a store and pick up a printer. For them, it's a monumental task. It certainly keeps things in perspective. They're missing so many things we take for granted."
Last month, Molesworth helped deliver school supplies donated by the Pioneer Student-Athlete Advisory Council (PSAAC). Pioneer student-athletes collected the supplies for the second straight year to help the 35-student school for 4-6 year-olds. The two-room school is 10-12 miles east out of Negril towards Montego Bay and up into the hills for about 15 minutes on very bumpy, windy roads, Molesworth said.
Mark and Beth Molesworth make a least one week-long trip a year to Jamaica, and they have gotten to know the locals very well. "On our trips down there, various people had talked about bringing school supplies with them each time they came down," he said. "I saw pictures of the schools and how rudimentary or primitive they were. Two years ago, I talked with PSAAC about the project, and the kids were all like, 'yea, let's do this.' "
In 2008, the student-athletes collected 22 boxes of items, and this year, they loaded up 115 pounds of school supplies. Molesworth said considerable work was done to get through the red tape. The shipments needed to be approved by the Jamaica Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Education. The packages took almost a month to clear customs and were delivered to the resort the Molesworths stay on May 21, one day before they took them to the school.
"All of the students and staff were so thankful and besides themselves," said Molesworth.
Community service plays a vital role in the Pioneer student-athletes' experience. UW-Platteville was awarded the inaugural National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators (NADIIIAA)/JOSTENS Community Service Award in 2001, and all teams do various service projects throughout the year.
Among the items the Pioneer Athletic Director brought with him this year was a picture of PSAAC holding both the Jamaican flag and a flag with the UW-Platteville athletic logo, helping bring the groups closer together. Pictures of the Cave Valley Basic School kids are also posted on the Pioneer web site for the UWP student-athletes to see.
"For PSAAC and myself, to see what a huge impact this has because they have so little makes it very rewarding," Molesworth said. "Beth and I have been there so many times, and it's a beautiful country with all the beaches , so it was nice to give something back to those people who have been so nice to us over the years."