When the baseball team received new uniforms that were too long, Librarian Jennifer Rike offered to assist the team by hemming their pants.

“They (uniforms) had to be hemmed because they were custom pants,” Coach Robert Johnson said. “The company left the bottoms un-hemmed to allow for them to be fitted to the athletes body length.”

There were 22 pairs of pants hemmed for Varsity players and coaches.

“It took about a week to get all the pants completely done,” Johnson said.

Rike said she offered to assist the team, after hearing they needed assistance.

“It was something I could do to help,” she said. “We all have opportunities to give back when someone needs it.”

A few of the boys on Varsity helped Rike hem the uniforms.

“There were a bunch of them (uniforms), and we were there, so she couldn’t do it all by herself,” senior Marcus Dandridge said.

Dandridge said that Rike taught him and the other players how to sew.

“It didn’t take long for her to teach us,” he said. “I don’t think I have a future as a seamstress though.”

Coach Brian Burkeen said there was a lesson to be learned from Rike.

“The fact that she did this without expect anything is awesome,” he said. “The students should learn to be appreciative.”

The uniforms will also be used next year.

“Working together and being willing to help each other out, friends, family, even people you may not know as well, can only make a community, or the school stronger,” Johnson said.

Rike said she did it without thinking of herself.

“I didn’t do it because there’d be some sort of prize at the end,” Rike said. “I did it because part of being in a community is helping each other.”