Sacramento State football players teamed up Friday with Leonardo DaVinci High School and Very Special Arts, a non-profit Sacramento organization that teaches art to developmentally disabled children.

Sac State football players helped out in a community service effort to clean out a storage supply area of the school that had been deemed a fire hazard.

“I think it’s nice to show our faces in the community and help out,” sophomore tight end Dustin Avilla said. “It shows that we can do more than just play football.”

Alice Parente, executive director of Very Special Arts, noted that Sac State has been a huge help in expanding her program and helping the needs of children. Very Special Arts promotes kids’ work through art and performance shows around the community, and works closely with local school districts to organize shows and events.

“We hire artists to go into schools and put together visual arts shows and performances,” Parente said. “We have formed an official partnership with Sac State, and with this program, we have the community working together.”

Very Special Arts has been around for 22 years and has grown to teach over 3,000 children and visit 60 surrounding area schools. On Jan. 25, Sac State and Very Special Arts are hosting a festival for an estimated 1,000 children who will be displaying their creative talents through art and performance.

“Every kid that comes will have artwork on display or will be in a performance,” Parente said. “We host workshops during the year, and the kids get to do a lot.”

Sac State football players helped out by throwing away boxes, desks and junk that were collecting dust and cluttering up a very nice storage area. The players were excited to be able to help out with such a good cause.

“We enjoy the opportunity to give back,” freshman cornerback Damone Jackson said. “I’m from Sacramento, so to be able to go back to these schools you know and show kids around here support is special.”

To find out more about Very Special Arts, contact executive director Alice Parente at www.vsasacramento.org.

While working to clean up the facility and pump up his teammates, junior linebacker Chris Alvarado said, “It’s the Sac State way.”

Contact Galen Kusic at [email protected]