SEMO women’s basketball team donates shoes to Cape Central girls basketball

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KBSI) – The Southeast Missouri State University women’s basketball team, along with PORCH Initiative, donated 20 pairs of shoes to the Cape Central High School girls basketball team on Thursday.

SEMO women’s basketball head coach Rekha Patterson said being able to pursue her passion and love for basketball while simultaneously giving back is… 

“The best of both worlds. I mean, does it get any better than that? Something that you’re passionate about, a way to give back. I mean, I think we’re on this earth to serve.” 

PORCH Initiative Executive Director Tameka Randle, who played college basketball at Eastern Michigan University and also coached at SEMO, was also excited to combine a passion of hers with a charitable act. 

“I’m getting great energy because I get to come back to a little bit of my passion, of what started me in being an athlete, education, and now I can give back in other ways beyond coaching,” she said.

Randle said this donation also speaks to PORCH Initiative’s mission, which is to…

“Make vibrant and revitalize South Cape, and that’s through families and children.”

Patterson said this donation was made possible by a large collection of unworn shoes that her team had, so it made for the perfect precursor to PORCH Initiative’s Sneaker Ball fundraiser coming up on Saturday. 

“Anytime that we can give back to the community, that’s part of our responsibility as a women’s basketball program,” she said. “We want to be a sense of pride not only for not only our university but the community.”