On July 13, 54 Excelsior Springs High School football players got together to give back to the community and observe an annual tradition – Tiger Service Day.

“It’s a day to get out in the community and give back, get our players kind of used to the thought of helping others selflessly,” varsity coach Mark Faubion said. “It’s nice to step in and be that part.”

The Tigers helped 18 families and businesses by performing various tasks from 8 a.m. until around 1 p.m.

“We cleared yard clutter, we helped people move their homes, we weeded people’s places, moved pianos,” Faubion said. “A lot of (what we do) comes down to yardwork … or mass moving. We had people that were needing to move a large amount of things out of a house for an elderly woman. It took about 6 hourswith 10 kids.”

“When we are at (the) Good Samaritan (Center), we are generally moving food items and moving boxes,” he added. “This year, we did a lot of lawn stuff.”

Faubion has helped with Tiger Service Day since it started in 2016. It has its roots in programs he was a part of before taking over the Excelsior Springs program.

“When I was coaching in college at William Jewell, the tornado hit Liberty,” he recalled. “Our head coach at the time, Hall of Fame guy Dave Bassore, got our kids together and we went and cleared a lot. … We did it every year after that. We did (something) similar to this when I was coaching … (at) Oak Park for Keith Ross.”

Bassore and Ross taught Faubion the importance of community service, he said.

“I just have continued on with that idea,” Faubion said.