I was flipping through College Crosse's Facebook page yesterday -- Have you "liked" it yet? Why not, knucklehead?!? -- and came across this picture from Princeton's men's lacrosse page.
The first thing that flashed through my head was that this sounds like the most delicious project ever conceived. Pigs?!? Poultry?!? Pineapples?!? This sounds like my backyard on Luau Night, except without the neighbors complaining that my charcoal smoker is making it impossible for them to breathe. (Selfish punks.) The second thing that flashed through my head was why Princeton's lacrosse team was having a Luau Night somewhere, I assumed, where there isn't a lot of indoor plumbing or DVR machines.
A little digging on the ol' computing machine yielded the answer: Princeton men's lacrosse is so much better than you or I that it's almost ridiculous. As it turns out, the Tigers have partnered with Fields of Growth International, a charitable organization that works in Uganda to develop educational and agricultural efforts through the passion and teamwork of lacrosse as a vehicle for change.
Chad Wiedmaier and Tom Schreiber are out in Uganda now, doing man work and spreading the good faith of lacrosse. In fact, they've gotten more done recently than I have over the better part of three months:
There has been much construction taking place on the grounds of the HOPEFUL School in the last few months. Thanks to the hard work put in by Chad Wiedmaier for raising the necessary funds for this project, and the Princeton University community; the first phase of the Princeton Piggery, Poultry and Pineapple Project has been completed. The first phase included the purchasing of materials and construction of the Piggery and Poultry houses. The pineapple farm currently has 15,000 plants with the future goal of having 20,000 plants.
There's still much to do, however. Phase II of the project involves purchasing the actual animals and such, as well as the food necessary to keep those pigs and chickens alive. It's an important project -- more valuable than silly things like rule-making agendas including shot clocks and substitution patters -- and the stronger those Tigers can make Fields of Growth's mission, the more likely the Ugandans they're currently helping will eventually be able to help themselves.
Then, as if they haven't moved the world enough, Princeton is off to Costa Rica to help out Fields of Growth's efforts there.
If you'd like to donate, all you have to do is click this fancy text. I'm sure that they'll accept whatever you can give. Or, better yet, pull your rump off the couch and get involved.