HILTON HEAD, S.C. – The Georgia Southwestern State University athletic department was presented with the SunTrust Connecting Communities Award at the Peach Belt Conference’s awards dinner on May 26. GSW received the honor for ‘Coat for a Coke,’ an initiative that provided winter coats to needy families in the Americus community. The award is sponsored by SunTrust Banks, Inc., an official partner of the Peach Belt Conference.

Coat for a Coke was organized by the women’s soccer team and held during their match against Clayton State on October 25, 2014. Anyone who donated a coat received a Coke product provided by the women’s soccer team. The team utilized social media and distributed fliers throughout the campus and Americus community to help publicize their initiative.

With over 100 spectators in attendance, the women’s soccer team received over 50 donated coats. The donated coats were then taken to the First United Methodist Church of Americus who transported the coats to the Union Tabernacle Clothes Closet in Americus. The Union Tabernacle Clothes Closet is open to needy families of the Americus community.

The SunTrust Connecting Communities award is designed to recognize efforts undertaken by PBC member institutions to reach out and be a partner with their local and regional communities. The award provides a cash prize to be given to the winning schools’ Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.