Five Athens High School athletes decided to live by the “One Athens” motto by helping out the local SPARK Academy at Cowart Elementary with their new play area, performing physical labor by spreading mulch for the school.

According to SPARK, Kameron Gatewood, Clay Zimmerman, Walker Harrison, Brogan Gross and Zeb Shinkunas, all members of the Athens High School football team, not only volunteered their time on a day where they were out of school, but did it on a day where they were on a schedule, with the Athens-Limestone Physicals Day taking place later that day, but still dedicated an hour and a half before going on to the physicals.

The football players’ efforts were commended by Cowart assistant principal Darran Alexander.

According to him, the play area has been in the works “for a while,” and the players helped with the final touches.

“They knocked it out for us. They helped get the bulk of it, so someone else (doesn’t have to),” Alexander said. “It is always encouraging to see.”

Alexander reached out to Athens High School head football coach Cody Gross to see if any of his players would be interested in giving back to the community in a way that will directly impact the kids.

“The coaches in the area talk about giving back to the community, so we wanted to give them the opportunity to do so,” Alexander said.

According to Alexander, this is an example of how the Athens community continuously unites for a common purpose.

“We are all about ‘One Athens,’” he said.