The high school basketball season is a long one and any way student-athletes can find to improve their close-knit nature can only benefit the team.

For the Liberty Christian Academy boys basketball team, participating in the school’s program to aid the Wright City Food Pantry not only serves as a philanthropic outlet but also allows the team to grow closer in the service of their fellow man, junior guard Phoenix Obermann said.

While the school’s participation is year-round, the chance to serve at the pantry during the holidays with some of his closest friends adds so much to the experience.

“I think team bonding is a really good thing, always getting closer with the guys, and the best teams are teams with good friends that feel like it’s a family,” Obermann said. “It’s always an honor to go to the food pantry and help those in need, doing good deeds for people, and always doing it for Christ, representing why we are here every day is because of him. I also think that team bonding makes the team's chemistry better on the court, and it adds to the game to play better together as a whole.”

Fellow Liberty Christian junior guard, Cole Nelsen, said he relishes the chance to serve his fellow man and to make a positive impact on the world.

He added that the positive impact on his team from the endeavor is also substantial.

“It means a lot to me just helping people in any way possible,” Nelsen said. “(It’s also about) leaving everyone and everything better than I find it, just like how Jesus leaves each of us way better than before, and I love being able to show God's love through myself.

“I also love being around some of my closest friends, being able to help those less fortunate, and doing God's service,” continued Nelson. “We get closer spending more time outside of basketball together, we enjoy the work and get the privilege of growing closer together through it.”

Wright City Church of the Nazarene Pastor Joe Purl, who works with the food pantry, said that with help from caring individuals, such as the students at Liberty Christian, the pantry continues to serve those in need.

Purl said the pantry provides more than 1,000 meals a month and 5,000 more through its drive-thru pantry to aid those in the community.

“The Wright City Food Pantry motto is ‘Neighbors helping neighbors’ and is the simple truth in how we operate,” Purl said. “Each week, we depend on volunteers to help us receive donations, sort and stock them on the shelves. The need continues, and we are grateful for our community, which continues to give throughout the year. One group that volunteers each week is Liberty Christian Academy's students. They are faithful to come with excitement and energy to put into sorting and shelving food. What they do prepares us to open and serve our community every week and we are thankful for them. The work they do helps them learn what it means to be a neighbor in our community. The need is great and our community is strong.”

Liberty Christian Administrator Doug Smith said that, like the basketball players who have given of their time during the season, volunteering is an important tenet for all students at the school.

Smith added that, even though the season is an important reason to give back, it’s not the only time students do so.

“The Bible teaches in numerous passages that we are to serve others as a way to demonstrate and live out our faith.  All of our students at LCA, in grades four through 12 have the privilege of serving Christ by serving our community through this work. They love doing so. I am often approached by students who want to serve. This isn't something we make a big broadcast about because we believe that it is our duty as followers of Christ to serve.”

Just as the Liberty Christian students have worked to serve their community, the boys on the Warrenton basketball team have spent the holiday season by giving.

The members of the basketball team, as they have for the past few Christmases, gathered, baked homemade cookies, and handed them out at the Oak Pointe Assisted Living and Memory Care facility in Warrenton.

Senior Jay Sanders said that it’s a fulfilling activity that he and his teammates participate in during the holiday season.

“We got together at one of the guy’s houses and we baked something like 500 cookies to hand out,” Sanders said. “It really does make you feel good to (give) this time of year. I think it brings us closer as teammates and it really does help with the bonding.”

Warrenton coach Mark Thomas said the visits to Oak Pointe are a group effort and teach the basketball players a valuable lesson in interacting with the community.

“I’ve got a great group of kids with great parents,” Thomas said. “The parents are really big into that extra stuff. They organize things like that and I help out where I can. I think it’s great for the guys to do those things and to give back to the community. I think a lot of the people at Oak Pointe asked the guys about basketball season. It’s not just about cookies.”

While it was rewarding, Sanders added that he does have a favorite cookie among the variety of assembled goodies.

“I really like your basic chocolate chip,” Sanders grinned. “I’m a classic type of guy.”