JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Sept. 26, 2008) - The ETSU Department of Athletics, in conjunction with the Department of Children's Services, is hosting a "Fall Carnival" for foster families in Northeast Tennessee on Saturday, Sept. 27, inside Memorial Center. The three-hour event begins at 9 a.m.

This collaborative effort will bring approximately 250 children and their families onto the ETSU campus to participate in a variety of fun activities conducted by student-athletes representing all 11 Atlantic Sun member schools. The event is being held in conjunction with the Atlantic Sun SAAC (Student Athlete Advisory Committee) fall meetings hosted by ETSU. 

"This Fall Carnival provides a great opportunity for student-athletes from five different southeastern states to come together and give back to children less fortunate than them," said ETSU's Senior Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator Barbie Breedlove. "This event is a great example of "Building Winners for Life" which is the tagline of the A-Sun Conference."

The student-athletes will conduct games such as: basketball, tennis, baseball, and a family relay race on the track. Along with these sport activities, there will also be stations for face-painting, temporary tattoos, make-a-bracelet, family picture booth, as well as a cheer seminar, led by ETSU cheerleaders.

Although this is the first time the Fall Carnival will be held in Johnson City, ETSU and Tennessee's of Department of Children's Services have already organized a previous Christmas event.

"ETSU organized a special Christmas event for us last year," said Vanessa Addington, the Resource Parent Support Case Manager for the Department of Children's Services. "ETSU contacted us and said that they want to do an event in September, and we were delighted to team up with them after we heard what was going to take place."

The Department of Children's Services task is to provide temporary care or foster care for children who live in families that are unable or unwilling to care for them, often for a short period of time but sometimes forever. This event is organized as an appreciation for foster parents.

The ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics takes pride in its community service activities and strives for 100 percent participation from its student-athletes, coaches and administrators throughout the year.

For more information on the ETSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics community service efforts visit www.ETSUBucs.com.