Tending to the team - Bob 'Pop' Dennis helps Spencerport's Josh Fuller during the Clayton Barnard Tournament in Hilton January 19. The dedicated volunteer often helps care for team members' minor injuries, in this case a nose bleed. Photo by Walter Horylev.

Dedicated volunteer brings support to sports teams

Bob Dennis, alias Pop, of Spencerport, volunteered over 1,200 hours to the Spencerport sports program last year. He works with the modified, junior varsity and varsity football teams under Coach Tony Lipani and with the varsity wrestling team under Coach Bill Jacoutot. Nicknamed Pop by Coach Jacoutot, Bob Dennis started volunteering with the teams after he retired from Wegmans in 1994.

He started out working with Roger Schurkamp, physical education teacher at Taylor Elementary School. Now, he rarely misses a team practice; and his wife, Pat, who is a retired teacher from Taylor, has to change their whole schedule around to accommodate her husband’s volunteer jobs.

Spencerport Schools Physical Education Director John Pelin says that "Pop has not only volunteered a tremendous amount of time, but has also earned the respect and love of both our coaching staff and our student-athletes. We are very fortunate to have him involved in our athletic program."

Dennis says that he is also called Waterboy, and that he mainly handles the equipment and cares for injured players. He says that he is "completely hooked" on wrestling, a sport he knew little about until he volunteered to help Coach Jacoutot. He says that he has a lot of respect for both coaches and plans to continue working with the teams next year. He says that he is "busier now than when he was working."

"Bob ‘Pop’ Dennis," says Coach Lipani, "is an asset to our entire football program. As a role model, his compassion and wisdom make him a true leader for our kids. We are very fortunate to have a man like Pop in our program."

Coach Jacoutot says, "He has been like a grandfather to the wrestling program … making sure the student-athletes’ equipment needs are being met, lending emotional support before and after the wrestling matches and practices and attending every practice and match. He has truly been a great addition to our program."

Pops has four children and three grandchildren. He had worked for Wegmans for 42 years before retiring. He started out as a bag boy at the Northgate Wegmans and worked in the service departments in various other Wegmans stores. In 1963, he became a store manager first at the Brockport store and then at the Scottsville store. He retired from the main office working in community affairs. One of his jobs at that time was organizing the company’s Concerts by the Shore program.