As students trickled in from the parking lot at 5 a.m., dressed in hoodies and blankets, bundled up as if they just jumped out of bed on the cold morning of the Chicago Marathon. Project Excel teacher Toni Madl gave the students some snacks, and the general idea of what the first few moments were going to look like at the marathon.
Students of Project Excel from Palatine High School have been going down to the Chicago Marathon to offer their assistance for the past seven years.
The moment students stepped off the bus at the Pilsen water station, they rushed to get things prepared for the top runners coming in. They got assigned tables and started preparing cups, pouring drinks, and setting up water. They handed out drinks to the runners for 12 hours straight with a little lunch break being their only time to rest.
“Getting up so early on a Sunday, you are on your feet for 12 hours straight, you are moving,” Madl said. “There’s nowhere to sit down, so you do find that kind of halfway through, students start to almost hit a wall, you see students trying to find somewhere to sit as they’re standing the whole time.”
The weather varied, going from cold mornings to hot afternoons. The students handled cold drinks that can spill and splash the whole day. Runners grabbed drinks then throw the cups aside, which left the students to quickly sweep the cups off the street.
“I have work the night before, so it’ll be very tiring, but I’m gonna push through it,” Project Excel student Joshua Alvarez said. “It sounds like a fun and good way to get my hours done and I love helping the community, it’s a really good morale booster for me.”
Although having to complete many things before he actually volunteers at the marathon, like working, and picking up others who are attending the marathon, Alvarez said it’s worth it. He finds joy in helping the community and has done it multiple times before. Alvarez said his favorite is helping out the homeless as he finds joy in knowing these people who are on the streets are getting a warm meal.
“I think it’s a great way of giving back to the community,” Project Excel student David Mayo said. “They’re doing a marathon run, and we’re helping them out, we’re supporting them, so in a way, we are giving back to the community in that moment no matter how small.”
As with everyone, Mayo thought the day would be tiring but well worth it. Although not having much volunteering experience, he liked the idea of helping the community and thought it was a good service to the people.
