Raising The Roof – Titans help local senior center
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But rarely can fans say a professional athlete put a ceiling over their heads.
The McMinnville-Warren County Senior Center, and those who enjoy its services, can consider themselves an exception to that statement now, after two members of the Tennessee Titans paid them a visit Monday morning.
Guard Benji Olson and tight end Ben Hartsock dropped their helmets and pads and picked up paintbrushes and rollers Monday, assisting Senior Center staffers and volunteers as they painted the interior of the center?s new annex building as part of the 10th Annual Titans Caravan.
While working inside the new building, Titans vice president of community relations Bob Hyde heard one of the workers remark about the state of the drop-tile ceiling.
?Some of them weren?t in the best shape, and they were talking about painting the ceiling, too,? Hyde recalled. ?We weren?t sure the tile would take paint, though, so after we finished up, we made arrangements with Lowe?s to order them enough tile to completely redo their ceiling.?
Senior Center director Cheryl Watson Mingle, who helped organize Monday?s project after the Titans contacted the United Way seeking a non-profit organization to work with, said the center and the participants in its programs were very grateful for the team?s assistance.
?They did a good job, and we?re all tickled to death about it,? she said. ?We?ve got a brand-new area for our wellness and exercise programs, everybody was able to meet the players and have a great time.?
After their work was done, Olson, Hartsock and team mascot ?T-Rac? took the time to visit with everyone in the center, signing autographs, posing for photos and meeting fans.
?It?s a great chance for us to get out and give back to the community,? Olson said. ?They support us, so we?re happy to be able to get out and support them. This is our opportunity to see people, shake some hands, sign some autographs and get to know the fans. It?s a chance to give back to them for all the support they give us through the year.?
Monday?s project was one of five ?Join the Team? work parties scheduled by the team as part of the Caravan, and was organized with the cooperation of the Warren County chapter of the United Way. For the second consecutive year, several stops on the Caravan were designated as ?work parties,? where players work hand-in-hand with staff and clients of local non-profit organizations.