The Eastern baseball team worked with Habitat for Humanity for the eighth year in a row.

They leveled ground and provided landscape for the new houses built by the Coles County Habitat chapter.

Half the team worked in Ashmore while the other half went to Mattoon, as opposed to past years when the entire team would take shifts at one house, according to Head Coach Jim Schmitz.

“Instead of our usual one house, we did two,” Schmitz said. “This year they were pretty well done with the house on the inside, so we did landscaping. Half the team went to Ashmore and planted seed and leveled the ground.”

Schmitz said in years past the team has gotten the chance to meet the owners of the new house, but this year they were unable to do so.

“It also turns into kind of a fundraiser for us,” Schmitz said. “It’s kind of like a jog-a-thon, all our players ask for money. Ten percent of what we raise goes for the Habitat (for Humanity). Not only do we put in hours, we also donate money to the Habitat chapter.”

Schmitz said the Habitat for Humanity chapter appreciates the help the Panthers offer them.

The Panthers played their annual alumni game last weekend and will return to Ohio Valley Conference play in the spring.

Brad Kupiec can be reached

at 581-7944 or bmkupiec@eiu.edu.