DAYTON -- The University of Dayton football team again teamed up with Rebuilding Together Dayton volunteers on National Rebuilding Day Saturday to provide free repairs to homeowners in neighborhoods throughout Dayton.  The local group is part of the national Rebuilding Together organization that has more than 200 affiliates across the country, working to restore and revitalize America's underserved  communities.

This is the 13th year the Flyers have participated in the event.

"UD Football has built a long standing relationship with Rebuilding Dayton," Flyer coach Trevor Andrews stated.  "It has become a big part of the Dayton football experience over time and our players look forward to this experience each spring.  It's a win-win situation for the team and the Dayton Community.  Our young men take pride in service they provide and to be honest, we probably get  just as much out of this experience as those who we are helping out."

The team joined more than 1,000 volunteers who come from local companies, churches and service organizations to help with projects all over the community.  

Volunteers from the football team primarily worked at four locations.  In the morning, part of the team helped install smoke detectors in the Carillon neighborhood with Sound the Alarm. Another group did general maintenance at the home of Charles Harden, an 82-year-old former Dayton-area high school football star.  

In the afternoon, some players cleared out a basement on Clegg Street and others helped at the Edgemont Children's Garden. 

"Any team's success is built a lot on chemistry, and for us the timing is perfect," Andrews added. "Volunteering with Rebuilding Together Dayton this weekend gives us one more chance to be together as a team before exams start the next week."

Rebuilding Together assists elderly or disabled homeowners who are not able or cannot afford to make home repairs, but want to stay in their own home where they are most comfortable.  The goal of Rebuilding Day every April is to harness the spirit of neighbors helping neighbors to keep people living in safety and independence.  The homeowners are selected from nominations by neighborhood groups, churches, city housing inspectors, priority boards and individuals.

 As a group, Dayton student-athletes contributed over 1,500 hours of community service work in the 2022-23 school year.