Eight members and advisors of Mayville State University Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ) are making plans to spend their spring break in Warsaw, Poland. This is the first-ever mission trip sponsored by MSU Cru. The group includes MSU women’s basketball players Lisa Hoglo, Thief River Falls, Minn., and Brooke McNary, Williston, N.D.; MSU students Alicia Loiland, Thompson, N.D., Kody Keysor, Kenmare, N.D., Sam Johnson, Williston, N.D., and Zach Arnegard, Mayville, N.D.; and Cru advisors Lloyd and Linda Arnegard, Mayville.
Departing March 14 and returning March 22, the Cru group is going to Poland to assist former Mayville State University basketball player Piotrek (Popi) Paprocki, who ministers to athletes in Warsaw through Athletes in Action. They will spend time at the Physical Education Academy, where many of the top athletes from Poland, ages 14-18, train.
On one of their days in Poland, the group will host an American sports day, when they will teach students about baseball and football. They will also spend time with several of the basketball teams and work through some team-building exercises with them.
The Cru crew will be bringing two athletic trainers’ kits with them to Poland and present them to the national teams. The group is excited about the opportunity to present these kits that will travel the world with the Mayville State University Comets logo emblazoned on them.
In addition, there will be opportunities for the group to visit homes in the Warsaw area, to eat with families and learn about life in Poland, including some of the family traditions honored there. At night, they will stay at a youth hostel in the city, and each evening they will spend time with athletes and coaches, teaching conversational English.
To round out their trip, the Mayville State group will be taking a tour of the concentration camp at Auschwitz and the city of Krakow. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the Russian liberation of the camp. They will have the unique opportunity to spend time with survivors who spent time in the camp and lost family members there.
Raising travel funds
The eight-member group is working hard to raise funds to defray costs of the trip. Currently, three fund-raisers are planned:
Members of the team will be taking orders for Bonita’s Pizzas outside the MSU Bookstore from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. February 10, 11, 17, and 18.
Tip night at the Pizza Ranch in Grand Forks is planned from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. Monday, Feb. 23. Those who wish support the Cru Poland trip group should take a coupon from a member of the group and present it at Pizza Ranch that night. The Poland team will then get all the tips and 20% of the bill to help defray the expenses of their March trip.
A spaghetti meal and silent auction will be held at Riverside Evangelical Free Church, Mayville, Sunday, March 1 from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. Freewill donations will be accepted. Those who wish to donate an item for the silent auction may contact Linda Arnegard at 701-788-4834 or linda.arnegard@mayvillestate.edu.
The group is also looking for sports equipment (new or used in good condition) to take with them to the American sports event they’ll be hosting in Poland. They will leave any equipment they collect so it can be used by Polish athletes. Baseballs, bats, gloves, footballs, flag football equipment, golf clubs, golf balls, and a bag or two to transport them in are needed.
For more information or to make a contribution to the mission trip, contact advisors Lloyd or Linda Arnegard at 701-788-4834 or linda.arnegard@mayvillestate.edu.
Photo Caption: Pictured are members of a Mayville State University group that will travel to Poland during the university’s spring break. They are (l to r) Zach Arnegard, Alicia Loiland, Liza Hoglo, Brooke McNary, Lloyd Arnegard, Sam Johnson, and Linda Arnegard. Kody Keysor will travel with the group, but is not pictured here.