By Alexandra Ames, Staff Writer
// While walking from the fridge to the sofa before watching something on Netflix has become normal exercise for many people during quarantine, two Acalanes High School students have been teaching lacrosse and donating their profits to help the community.
Acalanes High School sophomores and varsity lacrosse players Zach Appel and Owen Estee offered lacrosse lessons this summer to kids between the ages of 7 to 14 to raise money for White Pony Express (WPE), an organization that donates meals to those in need.
Appel and Estee began teaching after Acalanes canceled last year’s lacrosse season.
“The boys were trying to figure out a way to continue playing during the summer. Owen and Zach are very committed to getting kids interested in the game, and this was the perfect way to do this,” Appel’s mother Julie Rabinovitz said.
The boys donated the $3 thousand they raised from their lessons and their “Lacrosse Against Hunger” GoFundMe to WPE to help at-risk community members.
“This summer, young people like [Appel and Estee] stepped up to help WPE during the pandemic. We are delivering over twice as much food every day and partnering with local grocery agencies to ensure we address the needs of people in the county who are at high risk, vulnerable, isolated and deserving the care and loving service,” WPE Executive Director Eve Birge said.
Overall, Appel and Estee enjoyed teaching interested lacrosse players and donating to WPE.
“I think overall the benefit from giving these lessons was it helped everyone participating. Zach and I love to be out and playing lacrosse while helping kids who love to come out and play. I have had kids tell me this was the highlight of their summer, and obviously, we were using this as a way to make money to give to those who are less fortunate than we are,” Estee said.
To donate to Appel and Estee’s GoFundMe, click here.