Mission of Hope in Cedar Rapids is an organization dedicated to helping people in need in the community. On Feb. 10, the Mount Vernon Varsity basketball team traveled there to assist them by serving food and doing other work around the building for the second time this season.

The volunteers leading the organization lost no time in utilizing the team’s extra help. “As soon as I arrived, they put me to work quickly,” said junior Oliver Gardner. “The work was tough, but I didn’t mind it and did whatever I could to ensure that the church remained spotless.”

“It’s really an eye opening and great experience to be able to help the less fortunate,” said senior Connor Spencer. “The cooking contest between the two groups was also super fun.”

The basketball team had decided to make sloppy joes to serve at the church. To speed up the cooking process and make things more exciting, the team was divided into two groups that would both cook a separate batch of meat. Once completed, the coaches would taste test and decide which group had produced the best beef.

“We got pretty competitive trying to make the best food possible,” said senior manager Brady Siders. “I guess that made the feeling even better when the people we were serving really liked it.”