Off the ice teamwork helps to get the job done

Members of the Parkway West hockey team at Circle Star Ranch.

The Parkway West varsity hockey team can do more than skate and shoot the puck.

As part of its annual giving back to others, the Longhorns conducted a community service event recently, helping out at Circle Star Ranch, a program of the Erin Eickmeier Foundation.

Members of the team including coach Shawn Egan, treasurer Jay Ransom, board member Steve Russell and players Dirk Adams, Hasan Baig, Patrick Brawley, Jackson Fleming, Austin Gast, Chris Hanson, Jacob Ransom, Jack Russell, Andrew Schuchardt and Haydn Vance all participated.

The team traveled 45 minutes to Circle Star Ranch in Valles Mines, Missouri, and spent the afternoon  clearing debris and applying mulch to create walking paths, removing a number of dead trees and stacking wood for the winter.

Circle Star Ranch includes two homes on 22 acres and is run by Renee Eickmeier, president of the foundation. The mission of the foundation is to enrich the lives of ambulatory children and adults with disabilities. The ranch is the site of the foundation’s day camp and the future site of its group home for adults with disabilities.

“It was a great opportunity to work together to do something good for others,” Egan said.