Head Vikings football coach Steve Bell organizes players before they head out. The group knocked on doors near campus to help Rock Island residents report the material of their water service lines.
Viking football players lend a hand to water line inventory project
More than 100 Augustana Vikings football players took a break from practice to assist the water line inventory project. The players knocked on doors near Augustana’s campus and Saukie Golf Course as part of the final canvassing event before student research assistants move to the next phase of the project, which includes data analysis and predictive modeling.
Senior Tim Swaney, a middle linebacker and team captain, said he enjoyed the experience.
"We have a really strong community presence here," the kinesiology major said. "And for us as a football team, this is a great way to do some team bonding and also outreach to the community to let them know we’re here and we want to do anything we can to help."
Augustana Vikings football players walking in the neighborhood near campus to knock on doors for the water service line project. Players handed out postcards and shared information about the project being led by the Upper Mississippi Center and the Center for the Advancement of Community Health and Wellness.
Dr. Kimberly Murphy hands out canvassing packets and gives a pep talk to the more than 100 Vikings football players before they head out to knock on doors near Augustana's campus and near Saukie Golf Course.
Dr. Kimberly Murphy served up ice cream to student research assistants, football players, faculty and staff who assisted with the final day of canvassing for the water service line project. The project now moves to its next phase of data analysis and predictive modeling.
Swaney said this face-to-face interaction was a nice change of pace from what the community usually sees on the football field.
"I think they can really see us truly as men as opposed to athletes and show that we are all really caring individuals and we really do want to help," Swaney said. "We want to do anything we can and I think that’s really what we’re doing here today."
Head coach Steve Bell said the team has developed a great relationship with Dr. Kimberly Murphy, director for the Center for Advancement of Community Health and Wellness. Dr. Murphy’s center is joined by Augustana’s Upper Mississippi Center in leading the inventory project.
"When she asked us to help, we saw it as a great opportunity to give back to the Rock Island community and to help Augustana with an important project," Bell said. "For our football players, it’s about helping them understand that football is a small part of what they will learn here at Augustana. Being a small part of something bigger than yourself has much more meaning in the long run."
This multi-disciplinary project is in compliance with Illinois' 2022 Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act. The law requires cities to inventory lead service lines, implement replacements and coordinate financing strategies to fund this work. Information for Rock Island residents is available at www.rigov.org/lead.
Contact:
Nicole Lauer, 309-794-7645; nicolelauer@augustana.edu