Wednesday, May 25, 2011
MOSHI, TANZANIA--Three days after playing in the
first game of American football on the African continent, and on the eve of
climbing the famous Mount Kilimanjaro, the players and coaches of Drake
University and the CONADEIP All-Stars continued to give back to the local Moshi
community.
More
than 150 members of the traveling parties for the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl,
presented by TANAPA, have volunteered three days of their time to benefit
service projects in the Tanzanian city.
The Drake Bulldogs won the Global
Kilimanjaro Bowl, presented by TANAPA, with a 17-7 fourth-quarter comeback in
front of 11,781 curious but enthusiastic Tanzania spectators at the Sheik Amri
Abedi Memorial Stadium.
Today two separate groups will travel to Mount Kilimanjaro to begin the
five-day 'Tupande Kileleni' - 'Lets Climb to the Summit' and then descend in
two days. The CONADEIP All-Stars
group will leave on the Machame route on the western slope with Global Football
President Patrick Steenberge. The Drake University group will leave
on the Rongai route on the northeast side and the two groups plan to meet at
the summit.
**Additional Online Resources--Go Inside The Journey:
Drake President Dr. David Maxwell's blog | Drake Players' blogs for the Des Moines Register
Drake AD Sandy Hatfield Clubb's Twitter | Global Football's Twitter
Drake Football Facebook | Kilimanjaro Bowl Facebook
Global Football's YouTube Channel | Drake Player Cam Good's video blog
E.J. Walter's blog for the National Football Foundation's website
Among
the 11 schools and orphanages visited by the Americans and Mexicans, the Bridge
Nursery School now has the brickwork for a new classroom as part of renovations
aimed at allowing the school to accommodate 210 primary and 150 kindergarten
students. Student-athletes from
the United States and Mexico worked together to construct concrete breezeblock
and brick walls so that windows, doorframes and a roof can now be added.
"Ultimately,
this is what this trip is about," said Drake University president David Maxwell after applying mortar to
the bricks set by Drake players.
"The game was important and we were delighted to join the Mexican team
and play this historic game, but to be of service and widen the world is what
this is all about.
"The
Drake mission statement talks about preparing our students for global
citizenship and we are meeting that goal here. For all involved, this has been a life-changing experience.
"The
walls of this building had three rows completed yesterday and we added a
further six and it is now ready to have a roof put on top. This group has got an awful lot of work
done in six hours."
While
the players handled the construction work, Global Football team members John
Roslien (team coordinator), Mike Carlson (game broadcaster) and Michael Preston
(media director) helped elementary school children Chris, David, Levi, Helga
and Karen with their math and English class studies.
Drake
University head coach Chris Creighton headed up a team charged with painting
the internal and external walls of a wing at Mwenzi Secondary School in
Moshi. He and seven players then
visited the International School in Moshi to join in a game of flag
football. Staff also distributed
footballs supplied by Global Football to the various service project sites.
Orchestrated
by IRIS (Iowa Resource for International Service), the 11 initiatives
range from building construction to painting. Those taking part also have an opportunity to enjoy a day on
safari at the Tarangirie National Park as a benefit of the TANAPA presenting
sponsorship of the event.
Notes: Mount
Kilimanjaro was clearly visible from team hotels in Moshi as the clouds lifted
before sunset on Tuesday... There is snow visible on the mountain awaiting the
climbers... Team Global 1, Mwenzi Secondary School varsity soccer 2: in a break
from painting duties, a team of Global Football staff, IRIS staff and Drake
players lost narrowly to the home team as media director Michael Preston scored
the visitors' goal with a 20-yard free kick.
Event contact: Patrick Steenberge Patrick@GlobalFootball.com (011-255) (0) 762 379-437
Media contact: Michael
Preston MP@MPrestonSports.com (011-255)
(0) 757 894-392
About Global Football: Headed
by President Patrick Steenberge, a former Notre Dame quarterback and high
school All-American at Erie Cathedral Prep. During the past 14 years,
Global Football has produced football games in 19 nations in North and Central
American, Europe, Asia, Oceania and Africa. Working partners include NFL, NFL
Super Bowl Host Committees, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA), Notre
Dame, Penn State, Pop Warner, USA Football, and numerous Division III colleges
as well as National Football Federations worldwide. www.globalfootball.com.
