Lady Eagles basketball, Habitat for Humanity build community gardens

PETAL, Miss. - The Lady Eagles basketball team took a break Wednesday morning from the hardwood and went into a local community to lend a hand for the Women's Basketball Coaches Association inaugural "Day of Service."

The Lady Eagles teamed up with Habitat for Humanity for a service project.

Michael Pascarella, Habitat for Humanity executive director of construction management said, "They helped us put together a community garden out here. Of course, anytime you have a team out here working together, things go better, a lot smoother, and a lot faster."

The basketball team worked to make a community garden similar to the ones Habitat for Humanity already built.

Guard, Brittany Dinkins said, "Doing this event kind of demonstrates and put forth us being selfless and really giving back to other people."

The coaches and players participated in this project, but one might have needed a little bit more extra help.

“You know it's pretty easy for most people, but Brittany Dinkins had a tough time a little bit. You know, she looked like she knew what she was doing, but it was definitely hard for her to screw something in," said assistant coach, Pauline Love.

"Yeah I did. I hit what was called I think a boomerang, some name he gave us. I drilled it too hard though. But it's going to stay," said Dinkins.

Both the basketball team and members from Habitat for Humanity had a fun time working together. The Lady Eagles helped build one garden and helped re-build another.

This is around the 8th community service project the team has done since school started in August.

Pascarella said people can buy these gardens from the Habitat for Humanity office in Petal.