The Greek word agape is a type of selfless and unconditional love, a form of love and service that means putting others ahead of oneself in a very spiritual sense.
Recently, members of the ELCO boys’ basketball team experienced the true meaning of agape, more by their actions and deeds than through words or talk. But that wasn’t all that the Raiders learned. They also learned some very important life lessons, even ones about themselves.
“Some of the kids were looking up agape on the way there,” said Brad Conners, who’s been ELCO’s boys’ basketball coach for 14 years. “It was interesting to see the kids asking questions and finding out. We all left there knowing more than we did.”
After practice on Nov. 28, 23 members of the ELCO boys’ basketball program – 19 players, two student managers, and two coaches – spent two hours performing community service work at Agape Family Shelter, a home located at 139 S. Ninth St., Lebanon, which provides support for women and children as part of a ministry of the Lebanon Rescue Mission.
The Raiders broke themselves down into four work squads and did some landscaping and cleaning, raked leaves, picked up trash, performed some minor repairs, and did a little manual labor.
“It was fun,” said Conners. “Not all the jobs were even, and some of the jobs were tough. Some of the kids who were familiar with that type of work took the lead. That was really neat to see some of those kids taking leadership roles and the younger kids following. Some of it was hard work, but they had fun with it. They were laughing and joking around. It was a blessing in a couple of ways.”
“We do it to stress the importance of volunteering and giving back to the community,” said Conners. “Time is one of the most important things you can donate. We throw around words like humility and integrity, and this helped bring those words to life. I thought it brought us together as a team too, just seeing the kids doing something together outside of basketball.”
The ELCO boys’ basketball team has been performing similar community service projects for about four or five years now. Closer to the Christmas holiday, the Raiders as a team will shop for gifts for a local family in need.
“It’s something we have a history with,” said Conners. “I think it’s important for our kids. We learn how fortunate we are. Not everyone is as fortunate as us. We might not have had a whole bunch of money to give but we had our time. You can always give a little. You can always help out, and people appreciate it.
“It’s about community. We’re all part of a bigger community. Sometimes we get involved with our own lives. It’s not thinking about yourself. It’s about thinking about something bigger. It’s bigger than us.”
For more than 30 years, Agape Family Shelter has provided a safe haven, support, and life skills for women with children, single women, and pregnant women inside a historic, renovated mansion at Ninth and Walnut streets. It’s a place that empowers women in crisis and prepares them for future success.
“Within the team, every kid on the roster is important,” said Conners. “They get that. But when we move away from the basketball court to a different environment, they learn how to do other things. You have to know how to lead, but you also have to know how to follow as well. Community service is something you can learn from and take from. I think it also helped create a bond.”
The Raiders opened their 2024-25 season on Tuesday, Dec. 3, at home against Conrad Weiser.
“Our goal is to play hard and improve every day,” said Conners. “It’s something we talk about at practice, having fun and improving every day.
“Our boys are great kids. They love to help. They’re hard workers. They’re about each other and the community. They’re super coachable and they listen.”
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