Lyons and Carroll Halls hosted their annual tournament, Volley for the Vets, Friday evening. Teams of four signed up and paid $10 to compete in the sand volleyball tournament, with all proceeds going to support the South Bend Vet Center.
The Robert L. Miller Sr. Veteran's Center, as part of the Center for the Homeless, aims to connect veterans to permanent housing options and provide additional supportive services. According to their website, the center has placed 75% of their veterans into permanent housing.
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 33,000 veterans experience homelessness on any given night. These veterans account for seven percent of the total U.S. homeless population.
Sophomore Libby Meister, designated line judge at the tournament, highlighted the importance of supporting local veterans.
“I think it’s so important to support veterans in our community," Meister said. "By doing this event that’s been going on for years, we’re able to show our continuing support — especially for veterans in the South Bend community. We should be so grateful to them for protecting everything we have.”
The tournament returned this year after disappearing for a few years due to the pandemic.
Lyons Hall vice president Kate Rafford, a sophomore, said she learned about the tradition from a senior who suggested they revive the event. According to Afford, Lyons Hall reached out to Carroll Hall to bring back the annual tournament. Carroll and Lyons, which are brother and sister dorms, extended team signups to every hall on campus.
“It’s nice because Lyons and Carroll are both small, really tight knit communities," Rafford said. "It’s fun to be able to do something between our two dorms and I’m also really happy that we’ve got a lot of campus involvement outside of Lyons and Carroll.”
Team signed up online and no prior volleyball experience was required. Sophomore Will Calder, Carroll Hall Vice President, said the range of teams made the atmosphere.
“We’ve seen here a combination of teams, some very inexperienced and here for fun — which I totally recommend," Calder said. "But we also have some very competitive teams who are here to win.”
Almost 20 teams, consisting of students from many different dorms, signed up and competed at the sand volleyball courts beside Lyons Hall. Rafford and Calder themselves participated in the first game to kickoff the tournament.
In addition to supporting an important cause, Calder stressed the value in planning interhall events that foster campus community.
“When Lyons approached us to do this event, we were super excited about it," Calder said. "We think it’s a great way for everyone to get back into school spirit — just giving everybody an opportunity to get outside, enjoy each other's company, as well as play volleyball, is something that we all thought was a perfect idea.”
