Following is an account of the day from assistant coach Justin Pecka. The entire team was in attendance for the duration of the project.
The team arrived at the park at 8 a.m. After eating breakfast, the team interacted with some of the kids. It started with a big rectangle area filled with dirt, ground zero. Our group was in charge of mulch in the morning. We attacked two huge mounds of mulch and spread them over the foundation of the playground. We then transported the mulch with wheelbarrows/tarps/shovels.
Once the foundation was laid down, we headed to lunch with the kids and the rest of the volunteers. We talked with some of the kids about sports, school, and their neighborhood. You could tell they were captivated by our presence. They had immediate respect and admiration for our student-athletes. I don't think our guys realized how much influence they can have.
After lunch we started moving cement bags, mixing the cement, and pouring the cement into the holes that held the playground together. It was very strenuous work. A lot of the neighborhood children were watching us build the playground, I think that is what kept our guys motivated and working hard.
A lot of the volunteers were watching us mix/pour the cement. Once that was done, a lot of people raked the mulch into an even foundation.
At the end there was a dedication ceremony with all of the volunteers present. A lot of the neighborhood kids sat up front. You could tell how excited they were to have this new addition to their neighborhood. Our guys were extremely tired from the hard labor, but seeing the kids' faces made the day worth it. We really made a difference.
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