NIU men’s basketball head coach Jim Molinari has teamed up with some of his players and Amoco Oil to get an early start in community involvement.

Molinari and his caravan recently embarked on a mission to find elementary school students willing to make a written promise to “Say No To Drugs.”

Molinari said Amoco Oil and NIU’s basketball promotions department came up with the idea of visiting area elementary schools and defying students to use drugs.

Along with getting involved with the community, Molinari said, “We wanted to do something to get involved with the school.

“I talk to them, and we try to bring a player,” he said.

Molinari said two of his starters, Donnell Thomas and Donald Whiteside, have gone with him on his crusade.

Molinari said the students will receive shirts with “Say No To Drugs” emblazoned on them, plus trading cards of the Huskies’ basketball players. If they make the pledge to stay drug-free, they’re granted free admission to NIU’s Jan. 2 game versus the University of Illinois-Chicago. Amoco Oil will honor these students with a halftime ceromony at this game.

“I think (there’s) been a good response,” Molinari said. “We try to use our position to help kids. We’re a support group.”

Molinari is appreciative of the help his players have been in becoming community-oriented. But even though he realizes the difficulty of going to such aforementioned functions while attending class and practice, Molinari said his players have to understand that they have certain responsibities.

But Molinari said his players have actually enjoyed the trips once they meet the students. “I think they do (enjoy the visit) once they get there,” Molinari said.

The last appearance by Molinari and his group was scheduled for Nov. 13 at Cheesebro Elementary School, and for Molinari, the experience was worthwhile. Molinari said, “The more I got into it, I think this is really a good program.”