ABERDEEN, S.D. – What began eight years ago as the brain child of the Northern State University football program has evolved into a day-long, department-wide event, aptly dubbed the NSU Day of Champions.  And it’s actually even better than it sounds.  Instead of a day set aside to honor the athletes, it’s a day the athletes set aside to honor the community.

Saturday morning, April 25, approximately 160 NSU student-athletes and coaches will roll out of bed on a day when sleeping in might seem like a tempting alternative to take part in nine different community service projects, ranging from ditch clean-up efforts to a house building project.  By the end of the day, those students and coaches will have logged over 1,200 hours and nearly $25,000 of donated labor in an effort to show their appreciation for the support they receive from the surrounding community.

“It’s an opportunity for our athletic department to give back to this region and show a small token of our appreciation for their support,” said NSU Athletic Director Bob Olson.

“The Day of Champions is a small way for all of us as athletes to give back to the community of Aberdeen, which gives us so much and does an unbelievable job of supporting NSU,” added Aberdeen native Michael Zerr, who will return for his junior season with the football squad next fall.

Participants in Saturday’s event will be bussed to various locations in and around Aberdeen – and to a project in the town of Frederick, S.D. – where they will work throughout the day on projects that have little, if anything, to do with athletics and everything to do with community.

One group, for example, will be helping the City of Aberdeen Parks, Recreation & Forestry department on a gopher hole filling project.  Another group will help walk outlying areas of the city cleaning up garbage in the ditches.  Yet another will work with the New Beginnings Center with spring cleaning projects, along with replacing dirt in the volleyball pit and assisting with tree trimming efforts.

Transportation, food and beverages for the NSU student-athletes and workers will be provided by the following entities:
 
•    United Way
•    Subway
•    Pepsi
•    Sertoma Club
•    Twist Cone
•    Thrivent Financial
•    Ride Line
•    YMCA
•    Boys & Girls Club