GRAMBLING, La. | The Grambling State University men's and women's basketball teams volunteered their time to the local communities recently by handing out pumpkins and reading to children at Lincoln Preparatory School.
 
Grambling State head men's basketball coach Donte' Jackson and the Tigers team helped to assemble and transform the front yard of the Townsend House Gifts Shop, located in Ruston, La., into a pumpkin patch. Each year, Townsend House Gifts sells the pumpkins to raise money for D.A.R.T. (Domestic Abuse Resistance Team), a non-profit organization whose mission is to serve and protect people victimized by domestic violence.
 
"I think it was a great opportunity for the players to be able to help out and be involved in the community," Jackson said.
 
Five miles down the road at Lincoln Preparatory School (formerly Alma J. Brown Elementary School) in Grambling, La., the women's basketball team read children's books and played games with the students.
 
The players split up into groups of two to spend time with the children in classes that ranged from kindergarten to fifth grade.
 
"It was very important for my players to be involved in something like this," Grambling State head women's basketball coach Freddie Murray said. "Most of the kids know the players, and a lot of then aspire to be future Lady Tigers."
 
The Grambling State men's and women's basketball teams open the season on Nov. 10. The Tiger men will visit Richmond, Va., for a 6 p.m. tip-off against VCU, while the Lady Tigers make a very short trip to Ruston to take on Louisiana Tech for an 11 a.m. game.
 

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