Greenville College Football Assists Special Olympics in Glen Carbon
Published: April 13, 2021
GREENVILLE, Ill. - Most college football teams around the nation have a week during the course of their season when they do not schedule a game. Often these teams mark this week by regaining health, reducing practices, and preparing in advance for future opponents. The 2009 edition of the Greenville College Panther football team decided to use one of its free weeks to become involved in community efforts as they took the second of two bye weeks to prepare trails with reusable lights for the Twilight Torch Run in Glen Carbon, Ill.
Also known as "Lighting the Trails for Special Olympics," the family bike ride moved last year's date from an evening in November to coincide with Fallfest, a community event that connected Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on Friday evening, October 9.
"This year we have about 1,500 solo lights to put along a runway every 100 feet on the trail," said Jamie Foster, public service officer of Granite City Animal Control. The ride began at the Madison County Transit Park and Ride.
Jacob Foster, a senior defensive lineman from Glen Carbon, was instrumental in the Panthers involvement. He asked head coach Eric Hehman if the Greenville football team could assist.
"This was a great opportunity for us to serve a great cause, the Special Olympics," said Hehman. "We are always asking our players to be about others and not just ourselves so this allowed us to practice what we preach."
By the close of early registration, entries for the bike ride surpassed the number participating last year. Five-mile, 12-mile, and 22-mile routes followed paths of the Madison County Transit Authority. Prizes were given for several categories of onlookers, as well as the best-illuminated bike decorations by age.
The Special Olympics are not the first of the community outreach plans for the football team.
"We have plans to help with Habitat for Humanity to help raise some funds at one of our home games and also to help with a build," said Hehman. "We are also planning on going back to Philadelphia to do a football camp during our Spring Break (in March)."