POTSDAM, N.Y.—This Fall, several SUNY Potsdam athletic programs participated in the "Buck Up for Kids" program to raise money for sports, music, art and Advanced Placement courses for local children.

Ten Bears teams, including women's basketball, women's lacrosse, women's soccer, men's hockey, volleyball, swimming and diving, men's soccer, cross country, women's hockey and softball, have raised $256 so far this semester.

The program is part of the Dick Murphy-Dalton Guyette Memorial Youth Project which raises an average of $7,500 annually for about 140 children in local school districts each year. "Buck Up for Kids" involves participants collecting just $1 from students, employers, and friends throughout September. The total amount collected will be announced by the organization on Oct. 10.

It is the philosophy of Memorial Youth Project that children who are involved in academic and extracurricular activities are more likely to stay in school, make positive choices and be productive members of their communities.