EC Ohio News

Tiffin University’s Athletic Department has been active in the Seneca County community during the fall 2022 semester. Led by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), numerous TU teams have participated in the area on a variety of levels.

Two of the biggest events were the Washington Elementary Walk on October 7 and the Voting Day activity on November 8. The Walk and Roll to School Day was organized around Washington K-1 Elementary School and involved Washington’s administration, staff, teachers and hundreds of students participating. Tiffin University staff and athletes, along with community members and supporters also participated. Tiffin University’s SAAC also held a mock voting day for elementary youths in the Heminger Center. The event involved over 217 fourth and fifth-grade students from Calvert Catholic Schools, Hopewell-Loudon and Mohawk Local School Districts. A total of 11 polls were set up in the Heminger Center with students voting on a variety of topics such as favorite foods, colors and other topics. The exercise highlighted the importance of voting on election day. The results of the student vote were announced at the Tiffin University-Findlay football game on November 12.

Other SAAC events this fall included Downtown Trunk or Treat (local downtown trick or treating), the annual leaf raking and bagging event assisting local seniors and weekly reading at elementary schools. The weekly reading project has been part of TU’s community involvement for over three years and is a partnership with local schools’ reading programs to read weekly with classes. Each student gets to keep their own book.

Individual athletic programs at TU also were active outside of SAAC. Highlights are found below:

-Football and cheer:

Held their annual Victory Day on August 13. Victory Day is an event set up for cognitively and physically impaired children to have an opportunity to play football or cheer and have their moment in the sun.

-Esports:

Worked different stations with students and families at the Tiffin Elementary Spirit Night.

-Men’s Soccer:

Took part in Team Impact Child, adopting a local child with a serious illness to join their team for the year. Game day interactions and a National Letter of Intent (NLI) signing took place. Loaded trucks with over 1,000 boxes of gifts for those affected by war, poverty and disease for Operation Christmas Child at Grace Community Church.

-Women’s Soccer:

Joined SAAC to help rake leaves in the community. 

-Men’s Basketball:

Donated and wrapped 18 boxes to provide gifts for children for Operation Christmas Child at Grace Community Church. 

-Women’s Basketball:

Donated and wrapped 14 boxes to provide gifts for children for Operation Christmas Child at Grace Community Church.  

-Softball:

Joined SAAC to help at Downtown Trunk or Treat, read to students at Washington Elementary School and made popcorn balls for Tiffin Lions Club.

-Women’s Golf:

Made monthly visits and crafts at Elmwood Nursing Home, stuffed 400 stockings for deployed soldiers for Splash of Love and helped setup lights along Frost Parkway.

-Men’s Golf:

Laid sod at Mohawk Golf and Country Club.

-Volleyball:

Gave over 25 staff and faculty members handwritten notes of gratitude and a plant, flower or succulent, as a part of the Grow Kindness program and hosted the ovarian cancer awareness game.

-Men’s and Women’s Tennis:

Participated in the nativity set and gave tours at St. Francis in early December.

-Club & Rec:

Helped the Tiffin Elementary PTO Distribution Fundraiser.

“It really is amazing what our coaches and student-athletes do on a day-to-day basis,” said Vice President for Athletics, Lonny Allen. “The amount of work it takes to be successful in the classroom and in the playing arena is monumental. When you take all of those things into account, we are so proud of our student-athletes and staff for what they give back to this amazing community that we all call home. We look forward to helping make Tiffin a greater place.”

Original source can be found here.