ERIE, Pa. – Members of the Mercyhurst College women’s volleyball team volunteered at Celebrate Erie! this past weekend, helping mainly with the children’s activities area during the four-day festival.
At Celebrate Erie!, the student-athletes help supervise and administer several events within the two-block Kids’ Zone, including the Erie Children’s Museum and its initiative “Erie on the Move,” which is a grassroots movement that helps promote children make healthier food and exercise choices.
“We want to be a known sports athletic identity in Erie,” says head coach Ryan Patton. “And at the same time, I want the players to know Erie.”
They also worked at a puppetry station where they assisted children in making puppets to take home and with the Linus Project, helping children color quilt squares that will be transformed into a quilt. That quilt will then be given to a hospital to help comfort sick children.
“While interacting with the Erie community, it was evident as to how children will open themselves up when people show an interest in them,” said senior
Kendall Ashworth.
Celebrate Erie! is four days of events that includes music, the taste of Erie, dance and artists. The events are held at various locations throughout the downtown over a span of eight city blocks. The economic impact on the community is over 3 million dollars.