Many times during the Christmas season we find ourselves getting caught up in the fun activities of attending parties and giving/receiving presents. While these traditions should be enjoyed, it is also important to check into the real world during the time of the year it matters most. Service is an important part of not only the Christmas season but the whole year, and this has been exemplified in many ways at Holy Cross. One way, in particular, that Holy Cross aims to serve the community around us is through students’ participation in the Big Brother Big Sister program. While many students outside Holy Cross’ athletic community partake in the program, there is a powerful reason and story behind why varsity teams participate so heavily.
In the spring of 2000, John Price was a junior at Holy Cross and participated in programs such as the varsity lacrosse team, the Jesuit National Honor Society, as well as volunteering at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, the Massachusetts Welfare Protection Association, and, finally, helping with a Vietnamese refugee who lived in the city. John, a religious studies major and captain of the lacrosse team, was a native of the Baltimore area with a passion for helping others and advocating for the poor. One night after an evening out with the team, John was walking back to campus along a set of railroad tracks when he was hit by a CSX Transportation freight train. John passed away later that week from the injuries he sustained in the accident; a few days shy of his twenty-first birthday. The loss of such a prominent and positive figure in the Holy Cross community was one that devastated not only the student body, the friends and family of John, but also the athletic community as a whole. In response to this, the lacrosse team decided to create a living memorial in John’s honor through partnering with Big Brother Big Sister in order to preserve the memory of John’s genuine character as a “man for others”.
“John’s Brothers” is a program currently in place in the BBBS program in Worcester that pairs Holy Cross lacrosse players with underprivileged children also participating in the program. While it is mandatory for lacrosse players to participate in John’s Brothers, many other teams have followed suit and have been able to positively impact the lives of hundreds of girls and boys in the Worcester area. During John’s time here at Holy Cross, there were roughly 250 participants in the city of Worcester in the BBBS program. By 2010, there were 1,200 and that number continues to grow with increasing amounts of Holy Cross students getting involved.
Students spend time each week bonding with their “little” at a particular site outlined by the program. This hour of time includes things like tutoring, homework help, playing games, doing crafts, and other times just talking and listening. Through this, big sisters and brothers become positive role models for children in difficult situations. The best part of this type of service is that not only do littles benefit from time spent together, but bigs also gain insight and appreciation into a world not often seen by Holy Cross students. Teams often bring their littles on a field trip or two each year, and one can even see littles meandering around campus after cheering on their bigs during a game here at Holy Cross.
John’s passing was a deeply sorrowful occasion, because of how he touched those around him. John sought to devote his life to helping others, which was evident not only through the activities he was involved with on and off ampus, but also through his spirit, the way he treated his friends and family, and his determination to become a “man for others”. While John wasn’t able to accomplish everything he wanted during his life, he fostered the growth of something deeply meaningful that will continue to serve his mission for many years to come. Through John’s example, we can all understand, appreciate, and advocate for the value of service, and hopefully become motivated to get involved ourselves. With this, as the Christmas season progresses, finals ensue, and ice envelops the campus, it is always important to step back and think of others. No matter how stressful, hectic, frustrating, and difficult things get here at Holy Cross, remember that the life we live is someone else’s fairytale.