Stand Together Week Day 2 continued at at breakneck pace with Timbers players and staff partnering with volunteers across the Portland area on a variety of projects. Eric Alexander, Joe Bendik, Mike Fucito, and Kosuke Kimura worked with volunteers from Alaska Airlines and Verizon at Habitat for Humanity while adidas met up with Darlington Nagbe at The Children's Book Bank. Meanwhile, Jack Jewsbury & Jake Gleeson worked with kids and fair play with Fox 12 at Playworks PDX.
Below are some of the volunteers stories. You can also follow along on Twitter at #STWeek.
For more information and to learn how you can participate, visit www.portlandtimbers.com/standtogetherweek.
Brian MacMillan, Meterologist for Good Day Oregon, KPTV FOX 12
Playworks PDX at Cesar Chavez School
Oct. 9, 2012
What did you do with the kids here at Cesar Chavez today?
Well we just played some kickball, and the kids are pretty good. They're really good! It's surprising to see how athletic some of these kids are, and they keep up with some of us older guys, even the Timbers that were playing.
What was your favorite part about the day?
We just love coming out here to support the schools, support the kids. It's a fun atmosphere because they get to meet us and they get to meet the Timbers and to see the smiles on their faces, it makes everything worth it.
What is the importance of volunteering today and throughout Stand Together Week?
It's teaching kids to exercise is really important I think, but not only that to play fair and to play by a certain set of rules and to respect each other. All those are really big things and it's a beautiful day for it. Absolutely something I'd like to do again.
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WATCH: Stand Together Week: Day 2
Jack Jewsbury, Timbers midfielder
Playworks PDX at Cesar Chavez School
Oct. 9, 2012
So what are you doing out here today?
We’re out here with Playworks and basically just being kids again. It’s great to come out here and see what they’ve done to help coordinate different activities, whether it’s normal dodgeball or kickball, or a ton of other things where everyone feels incorporated and not hanging any kids out to dry. It’s great to see what they’ve done. I think they started in one city and built to 23, so it’s fun to see what’s going on and see how the kids are enjoying it.
You’re a bit of a ringer in that kickball game. You got a home run, I think.
Yeah, I got one. I used one of the kids to fake, so they didn’t back up too much, and that worked out in my favor, so it was fun to get in there with the kids and just be one of them, to be quite honest.
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Mark Nelsen, Meterologist for KPTV Fox 12
Playworks PDX
Oct. 9, 2012
What’d you do today?
Well, we played kickball with the kids, found out that Jack Jewsbury can shoot [the ball] almost over the top of the school, and we just really played with the kids and had fun.
What was your favorite part? Obviously, you played with the kids, but why is this kind of event important?
Well, you know, the kids sit in school all day, and then they get a chance to run out. This is their chance to let all their energy go. I remember being a kid, and that was important. I have kids too and know that social time is a big deal on the play yard as well. For us, it was just a chance to come and have them hang out with adults.
Is this something Fox 12 does a lot in town? Do you work often in the community?
Specifically, I tend to go to schools, and do school talks. I’m in weather – I’m a meteorologist - so I go to many schools a year and talk about weather. I’m into more of the science stuff, so this is a nice break. I like this better.
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Miranda Zimmerli, adidas
The Children’s Book Bank
Oct. 9, 2012
What are you doing here today?
We are volunteering with adidas as a part of Stand Together Week to help clean books for kids who don’t have books.
Are you having fun?
Yeah! It’s a little bit messy, but somebody’s got to do it!
What do you think is the best part about the job today?
I think it’s cool that kids that don’t have books at all in their houses will be able to have a bag of books that they can read with their families.
Have you gotten a chance to talk to Darlington Nagbe who is also working at this event today? Is it fun teaming up with the Timbers?
Yeah, I mean, it’s definitely cool that a local team wants to help out and support the community.
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Eric Alexander, Timbers midfielder
Habitat for Humanity
Oct. 9, 2012
Why is it important to be out here today?
Just to be helping out at the Habitat for Humanity to be building homes for some people, it’s just good to help out with the community.
What do you think the effect of Stand Together Week will be on the community?
It brings the community together and inspires people to go out and do more stuff, help out, and make this a better place.
As an athlete, why is it important for you to give back to the community?
The community does so much for us. We have the best following and it’s fun to come out here and interact with the people and help them out.
