Today, we continue our new series on community relations, Community Tuesday. These posts, pioneered by Eric Shainock '14, focus on best practices and highlight feel-good stories from throughout the industry.
By: Eric Shainock '14
As the quarterback during my senior year at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Russell Wilson was as great of a person off-the-field as he was on-the-field. He led the Badgers to the Big Ten Championship and to the Rose Bowl that year. He recently took the Seattle Seahawks to their first NFL Championship in just his second year in the National Football League. He tied an NFL record for most touchdown passes as a rookie and has surpassed everyone’s expectations except his own.
Wilson is the first to arrive each morning and one of the last to leave. He studies film and always strives to get better. This is the type of player every franchise wants to lead its team. However, his work off the field is as impressive as his playing career to this point.
Russell Wilson was a new draft pick by the Seahawks in 2012, and he wanted to become a part of the fabric. Most players would spent all their time partying and learning the playbook, but Wilson wanted to quickly get involved and he thought Seattle Children’s Hospital would be a great place.
The hospital was unsure what to make of this request- it had dealt with athletes before and it was met without great success. Past players would not visit regularly or would only spend a few minutes for photos and then leave. Wilson, however, was different. Every Tuesday, Russell Wilson would show up at the hospital and interact with the kids. He started on a trial basis, but he kept asking to see more kids and visit more rooms… including the hardest cases the hospital had. Wilson spends a few minutes with each child and hears their story, prays with them, and just tries to make them smile.
Wilson said, “I think that to be able to try to find a way to change people’s lives and to be there for them and give them a boost is really important to me.” This demonstrates the true character of Wilson. He is using his likeness and fame as a way to give back. These kids are fighting every day for survival, yet Tuesday gives a moment of hope that they may meet one of their idols.
For Wilson, this was a way to cope with the death of his father. He and his dad were extremely close and Wilson looked up to him for advice and as a role model. These trips have become known as “Blue Tuesdays”, and after each visit, Wilson posts them on his social media pages.
In the era when players post questionable pictures, Wilson is the exception.
Too often money is thought of as the silver bullet. If a player gives enough money, it is equivalent to giving of his time. Of course the money helps and goes towards research and funding of programs. However, the time that Wilson spends with these children each week is something that money cannot buy.
He builds genuine relationships with the kids and tries to take their focus off of their current ailment. Doug Taliaferro, the equipment coordinator at Children’s Hospital, escorts Wilson each Tuesday around the hospital. He said, “He’s just an all-around good guy. Kids know Russell is real, sincere and honest. He is truly one of a kind.”
As a fan of the Wisconsin Badgers, I am happy and excited to give back to their athletic annual fund in part because of the work that players such as Wilson are currently doing. I have a great sense of pride to be associated, albeit very indirectly, with someone as selfless as Wilson. This type of giving should be stressed at the college and pro level, because it helps fans build a stronger affinity with players and teams. This will result in higher sales, a greater loyalty to the brand, and a stronger passion for the team outside of only gamedays.
That’s a wrap for this week. As always, please feel free to give suggestions on how Eric can improve his posts and any future topics that would be of interest!
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Community Tuesday Archives
How "Badgers Give Back" Serves Madison
Combining the Community Relations and Non-Profit Spaces
How the Bengals Addressed Hunger in Cincinnati
How San Francisco Made a Wish Come True
