In January 2026, members of the Lawrence Tech Men’s Lacrosse team will trade sticks for service, partnering with the WAVE Project, a grassroots organization dedicated to serving those experiencing homelessness across Metro Detroit.
Founded in 2018 by a group of friends driven by faith and community, the WAVE Project (Welcoming All Valuing Everyone) began with a simple idea: create a place where people could gather, share a meal, and be seen. That idea grew into a mobile outreach effort that now provides over 300 showers and hundreds of clothing and hygiene essentials to those in need every month.
For sophomore Jacob Brey, the mission hits close to home. “It’s awesome helping the homeless and getting to hear all the different stories they have.”
On January 24th and 31st, the team will help operate WAVE’s mobile shower service, cleaning stalls, distributing hygiene kits, and engaging guests to create a safe and welcoming environment.
But for Jacob, it’s not just about handing out supplies. It’s about connecting human to human.
He recalls one experience vividly:
“I was volunteering at a shower event with my friend and my mom, and I recognized one of the guest’s names from my dad’s stories growing up. He was one of my dad’s childhood friends. Seeing him hit me hard; it reminded me that behind every person is a story. Sometimes those stories are closer to home than you think.”
Moments like that have changed how Jacob and his teammates view service. What started as a volunteer opportunity has become a lesson in empathy and understanding.
None of this would have been possible without the leadership of Head Coach Shane Lewandowski, who immediately supported the idea of his players serving with WAVE. “He never hesitated, not even for a second,” Jacob shared. “It’s exciting to know that an entire generation is being empowered to serve their communities, thanks to leaders like him.”
For Coach Lewandowski, service is just another extension of the game plan, an opportunity to build unity, character, and compassion.
Through their partnership with the WAVE Project, the Lawrence Tech Men’s Lacrosse team is living out the Champions of Character® value of Respect, seeing the dignity in every person and treating each individual with compassion and care.
They’re proving that The Right Way to Play doesn’t always happen under stadium lights. Sometimes, it happens in a parking lot in Metro Detroit, where student-athletes wash towels, hand out hoodies, and listen to stories that remind them what teamwork truly means.
In every act of kindness, the Blue Devils show that when you choose to serve, you become the kind of team that lifts an entire community.
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