University of North Carolina Athletics
GoHeels Exclusive: A Village At Work
May 29, 2020 | Women's Lacrosse, Featured Writers
By Pat James, GoHeels.com
Even as the coronavirus pandemic swept the United States, wiping out sports seasons all across the country, North Carolina women's lacrosse alumna Amy Orcutt remained hopeful about hers.
Orcutt, née Havrilla, and her Conestoga High girls lacrosse team were just 11 days away from their season opener when Gov. Tom Wolf announced on March 13 that all Pennsylvania schools would be closed for two weeks. That, however, didn't dampen Orcutt's spirits. Neither did the order that came shortly after, suspending all athletic-related activities until at least March 30.
By the time that date arrived, though, and Wolf closed all schools indefinitely, Orcutt's perspective started to change.
"My husband had kept staying, 'Ame, you're not having a season.' And I was like, 'No, we're still going to have it,'" said Orcutt, who played at UNC from 1998-2001, this week. "I thought we're a lot later than the NCAA (season); we could push things back a little further. And then when (Wolf) said that, I was like, 'And now we're really done.'"
Ten days later, it became official, and Orcutt found herself in the same position as so many other coaches, trying to console her players. Zoom meetings, yoga sessions and even a trivia night were among the activities she planned to keep them upbeat and engaged.
But nothing has unified them more than a desire to help others.
Ever since she became the head coach at her alma mater in December 2009, Orcutt has placed an emphasis on giving back to the community. In the past, that's been highlighted by Conestoga's annual 5-on-5 tournament, which raises money for the Fighting Back Scholarship Program, a nonprofit that provides financial support for individuals fighting back from a life-changing injury or illness. Currently, it's embodied by her team's efforts to support those impacted by the virus.
Around the time Conestoga's season was canceled, Orcutt received a call from another local coach, Jazmine Smith, asking if she'd be interested in teaming up to help health care workers and community members in the Philadelphia area. Another coach soon joined the conversation, and thus came about The Lacrosse Village Initiative (LVI).
"We really didn't know how it was going to work," Orcutt said. "At first, we were like, 'Should we just do financial donations?' But at that point, people were losing their jobs, so I said, 'We can't be asking for money when people might not want to do anything financial. Some people just want to do something hands-on that they know they can do.'"
And that's ultimately the direction they went.
With several other teams joining since its inception, Orcutt said the LVI has collected more than 2,000 appreciation kits – which consist of items such as snacks, bandanas and thank you notes – for local health care workers. It's also given 1,500 hygiene kits to homeless shelters and more than 215 meal kits to food pantries. That latter number doesn't even account for the $1,200 worth of grocery store gift cards that Orcutt's team donated.
Another goal of the LVI has been to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, with teams having combined to make 300 face masks, according to Orcutt. It also just partnered with the University of Pennsylvania, which will now offer free testing through the LVI.
As amazed as she's been by what the LVI has been able to accomplish, Orcutt said she's been just as, if not more, pleased with how her players have rallied around it.
"They have really impressed me, but they always do," she said. "At a time when they want to be going to prom and playing lacrosse, I think it has definitely given them something to bring them together as a team, and I think it's really helped the situation."
On Sunday, Orcutt and her players will host their third collection drive. Roughly 24 hours before then, another LVI event will begin about 150 miles away in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
Upon learning of her former teammate's work, Lindsay Stone Gilliam, who played for the Tar Heels from 1999-2002, started thinking about how her eldest son's third-grade lacrosse team could do something similar. Over the years, her children had spent some time with Orcutt's on visits to Chapel Hill. So they were moved when they saw Instagram posts of Orcutt's kids helping collect supplies. Gilliam encouraged her son to talk to his teammates about the LVI and how they would like to get involved.
"I explained some of the challenges other families might be having because of the virus," Gilliam said, "and we asked the boys to think about how they want to help in our community. He came back to me and said they felt strongly about making sure people have food."
So they keyed in on that.
Gilliam said her family quickly discovered that several initiatives were already in place to deliver meals to health care workers on and around Long Island. That led the team to shift its focus to assisting families who are experiencing economic hardships due to the virus, which is how it found out about the Helping Hands Rescue Mission (HHRM).
Then came the hard part: figuring out what sort of fundraiser to do with 25 third-grade boys who haven't been able to hang out and might not be the most inclined to practice social distancing.
Eventually, the idea of a team marathon relay came about. Each player is going to run to the house of their nearest teammate, then pass them a lacrosse ball, similar to the passing of the Olympic torch – but from six feet away. Overall, the players will cover more than 20 miles.
As of 12 p.m. Friday, $11,782 had been donated for the marathon. Gilliam said every $3,200-3,800 will feed 450-500 HHRM families for a whole week. The team will also be collecting nonperishable items and household essentials for HHRM families after the event.
"All of the parents on our team have been incredibly responsive and supportive," Gilliam said. "It's not just me and the coaches pushing out the idea; we have parents who really embraced the idea of getting the boys together to do something. Our parents are inclined to show their kids what it means to be part of a team and a community. I'm very thankful for that. It's really been very much a team effort."
Gilliam said Orcutt has also been a valuable resource for her throughout. Both agreed that their passion to help others during these uncertain times stems from their time at Carolina.
"Jenny (Levy) always taught us to lead by example, and I'm forever grateful for the lessons that I learned on and off the field at Carolina," Gilliam said. "Amy and I are people who are working and taking care of kids at home, and it would be very easy to say, 'I don't have time; someone else will do it.'
"I'm not patting myself on the back for that at all, but really being thankful that Jenny and Carolina always taught us there is a way – if it's something that you care about, you will find the time to do it with passion. I think that is a lifelong lesson that Amy and I will both forever be grateful to the UNC lacrosse program for instilling in us."
Orcutt is just as thankful for everyone who has supported the LVI.
"In the time of crisis that we're all in, where people are losing jobs and getting furloughed and not making money," she said, "it has blown my mind the amount of love and support and kindness and thoughtful people who are out there who want to just help. I've had families who I don't know, some good friends, some people I've seen at the gym who even if they brought over five nurse kits – that's all they could do – they wanted to help.
"It's been quite a wonderful surprise to see how many people out there are kind, and I think a crisis like this has brought out the best in a lot of people."
Orcutt and Gilliam included.
Even as the coronavirus pandemic swept the United States, wiping out sports seasons all across the country, North Carolina women's lacrosse alumna Amy Orcutt remained hopeful about hers.
Orcutt, née Havrilla, and her Conestoga High girls lacrosse team were just 11 days away from their season opener when Gov. Tom Wolf announced on March 13 that all Pennsylvania schools would be closed for two weeks. That, however, didn't dampen Orcutt's spirits. Neither did the order that came shortly after, suspending all athletic-related activities until at least March 30.
By the time that date arrived, though, and Wolf closed all schools indefinitely, Orcutt's perspective started to change.
"My husband had kept staying, 'Ame, you're not having a season.' And I was like, 'No, we're still going to have it,'" said Orcutt, who played at UNC from 1998-2001, this week. "I thought we're a lot later than the NCAA (season); we could push things back a little further. And then when (Wolf) said that, I was like, 'And now we're really done.'"
Ten days later, it became official, and Orcutt found herself in the same position as so many other coaches, trying to console her players. Zoom meetings, yoga sessions and even a trivia night were among the activities she planned to keep them upbeat and engaged.
But nothing has unified them more than a desire to help others.
Ever since she became the head coach at her alma mater in December 2009, Orcutt has placed an emphasis on giving back to the community. In the past, that's been highlighted by Conestoga's annual 5-on-5 tournament, which raises money for the Fighting Back Scholarship Program, a nonprofit that provides financial support for individuals fighting back from a life-changing injury or illness. Currently, it's embodied by her team's efforts to support those impacted by the virus.
Around the time Conestoga's season was canceled, Orcutt received a call from another local coach, Jazmine Smith, asking if she'd be interested in teaming up to help health care workers and community members in the Philadelphia area. Another coach soon joined the conversation, and thus came about The Lacrosse Village Initiative (LVI).
"We really didn't know how it was going to work," Orcutt said. "At first, we were like, 'Should we just do financial donations?' But at that point, people were losing their jobs, so I said, 'We can't be asking for money when people might not want to do anything financial. Some people just want to do something hands-on that they know they can do.'"
And that's ultimately the direction they went.
With several other teams joining since its inception, Orcutt said the LVI has collected more than 2,000 appreciation kits – which consist of items such as snacks, bandanas and thank you notes – for local health care workers. It's also given 1,500 hygiene kits to homeless shelters and more than 215 meal kits to food pantries. That latter number doesn't even account for the $1,200 worth of grocery store gift cards that Orcutt's team donated.
Another goal of the LVI has been to help slow the spread of the coronavirus, with teams having combined to make 300 face masks, according to Orcutt. It also just partnered with the University of Pennsylvania, which will now offer free testing through the LVI.
As amazed as she's been by what the LVI has been able to accomplish, Orcutt said she's been just as, if not more, pleased with how her players have rallied around it.
"They have really impressed me, but they always do," she said. "At a time when they want to be going to prom and playing lacrosse, I think it has definitely given them something to bring them together as a team, and I think it's really helped the situation."
On Sunday, Orcutt and her players will host their third collection drive. Roughly 24 hours before then, another LVI event will begin about 150 miles away in Cold Spring Harbor, New York.
Upon learning of her former teammate's work, Lindsay Stone Gilliam, who played for the Tar Heels from 1999-2002, started thinking about how her eldest son's third-grade lacrosse team could do something similar. Over the years, her children had spent some time with Orcutt's on visits to Chapel Hill. So they were moved when they saw Instagram posts of Orcutt's kids helping collect supplies. Gilliam encouraged her son to talk to his teammates about the LVI and how they would like to get involved.
"I explained some of the challenges other families might be having because of the virus," Gilliam said, "and we asked the boys to think about how they want to help in our community. He came back to me and said they felt strongly about making sure people have food."
So they keyed in on that.
Gilliam said her family quickly discovered that several initiatives were already in place to deliver meals to health care workers on and around Long Island. That led the team to shift its focus to assisting families who are experiencing economic hardships due to the virus, which is how it found out about the Helping Hands Rescue Mission (HHRM).
Then came the hard part: figuring out what sort of fundraiser to do with 25 third-grade boys who haven't been able to hang out and might not be the most inclined to practice social distancing.
Eventually, the idea of a team marathon relay came about. Each player is going to run to the house of their nearest teammate, then pass them a lacrosse ball, similar to the passing of the Olympic torch – but from six feet away. Overall, the players will cover more than 20 miles.
As of 12 p.m. Friday, $11,782 had been donated for the marathon. Gilliam said every $3,200-3,800 will feed 450-500 HHRM families for a whole week. The team will also be collecting nonperishable items and household essentials for HHRM families after the event.
"All of the parents on our team have been incredibly responsive and supportive," Gilliam said. "It's not just me and the coaches pushing out the idea; we have parents who really embraced the idea of getting the boys together to do something. Our parents are inclined to show their kids what it means to be part of a team and a community. I'm very thankful for that. It's really been very much a team effort."
Gilliam said Orcutt has also been a valuable resource for her throughout. Both agreed that their passion to help others during these uncertain times stems from their time at Carolina.
"Jenny (Levy) always taught us to lead by example, and I'm forever grateful for the lessons that I learned on and off the field at Carolina," Gilliam said. "Amy and I are people who are working and taking care of kids at home, and it would be very easy to say, 'I don't have time; someone else will do it.'
"I'm not patting myself on the back for that at all, but really being thankful that Jenny and Carolina always taught us there is a way – if it's something that you care about, you will find the time to do it with passion. I think that is a lifelong lesson that Amy and I will both forever be grateful to the UNC lacrosse program for instilling in us."
Orcutt is just as thankful for everyone who has supported the LVI.
"In the time of crisis that we're all in, where people are losing jobs and getting furloughed and not making money," she said, "it has blown my mind the amount of love and support and kindness and thoughtful people who are out there who want to just help. I've had families who I don't know, some good friends, some people I've seen at the gym who even if they brought over five nurse kits – that's all they could do – they wanted to help.
"It's been quite a wonderful surprise to see how many people out there are kind, and I think a crisis like this has brought out the best in a lot of people."
Orcutt and Gilliam included.
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