Looking over the beautiful and majestic courtyard leading into the buildings and campus at Erskine College, one can only imagine that life is just as peaceful, serene, and tranquil inside the historical, memory-filled structures housing the educational facility. Student lives are changed and love for God immensely enhanced over the four-year tenure of each individual. Young leaders are being developed who will one day become our nation's elite in business, government, education, and Christian leadership.
Within those classroom walls many student athletes are adjusting to the strenuous demands of team practice, strength training, cardiovascular work outs, and last, but not least, trying to attain excellent grades in each subject through study and work habits. Many hours are spent in dorm rooms after practice studying, going to SI, conferring with tutors, even studying in team buses or vans on the way to competitions. On top of the study issues, most students are away from home and are discovering the truth that college life is an immense adjustment from high school life and living at home. Mom and Dad are not a short drive away as in high school, and workload is much different these days. Many student athletes are attending from other countries throughout the world and are experiencing cultural, language, and financial barriers. Having no one relatively close presents additional challenges.

The Erskine College women's tennis team, under the direction of Coach Calhoun Parr, have found a way to bridge the gap presented by that long distance, fill the loneliness with love, and serve the community of which they are part. Coach Parr started the "Adopt-a-Grandparent" program approximately eighteen years ago connecting residents of the Renaissance Retirement Home community with individual members of the women's tennis team. Each girl is matched at the start of the year with a volunteer grandparent in the Renaissance community through a meeting of the tennis team's grandparent project leader (Katie Loudermilk), Coach Parr, and Ann Grubb, the retirement community representative. The grandparents are all volunteers who are elated to be able to mentor or share time with players. Two of the active grandparents are 100 and 95 years young respectively: Luke Cicora and Lamont Deloach.  Two of the grandparents have been in the adoption program for the entire eighteen years (Don and Joanna Kennedy) while four of them are first year participants.

Susan Jackson, Marketing Director for the Renaissance, stated that she loved watching the interaction between the players and their adopted grandfathers or grandmothers. The emotional support goes both ways and benefits both groups. The girls have a mentor, an older, more experienced person, giving wise instruction and wisdom, while the girls give back in youthful fun interaction and loving ways. The grandparents attend many of the girls' tennis matches and many of them are active themselves in tennis, golf, and other activities.

Life is dependent upon relationships. The choices one makes in life often determine the path we will take as we mature. Without a person to help us make wise decisions it is sometime easier to follow the advice of less experienced peers and friends. Having wisdom-filled and Christ-loving grandparents to give advice or share an embrace helps during challenging times when the choices are not always clear.  Good examples encourage sound decisions and principles.   Both groups benefit.  These relationships provide great opportunities to share Biblical, Christian, wisdom-filled lives in ways that enhance the present and the future.
Proverbs 3:13-18

Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold. She is more precious than jewels, and nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.