Coe students branch out to pick up branches, yards

Some college students have a hard time walking out to get a newspaper on a Sunday morning, much less to sign up to pull weeds and fire up rusty lawn mowers all across the city.

“It's not a big deal,” insisted Tova Hettinger, 18, a Coe College freshman from Eldridge. “I could sleep or I could help someone out.”

Hettinger was part of a six-person team working on three different properties throughout Cedar Rapids on Sunday afternoon. Aging Services of Cedar Rapids put together a request list as the Coe students, numbering about 100 in total, made up the Spring 500 service project.

Nicholas and Ellen Ficchi moved back to Iowa two years ago after decades spent in Tucson, Arizona. Ellen Ficchi said her backyard was in need of so much work but two surgeries over the winter kept her from being able to get outside and finish what was needed.

“It makes people like me feel better when you look outside and not have to worry about how to pay for it when you are on a fixed income,” Ficchi said.

Within just an hour, the students polished off a major “to-do” list, from mowing the lawn to pulling weeds to picking up loose leaves to doing whatever Mrs. Ficchi needed at her home on 1st Avenue NW in Cedar Rapids.

“It's easy for students at Coe to forget we are part of a larger community,” said Nick Ludwig, a junior from Byron, Illinois and one of the project's leaders. “This is awesome to be able to come and help people.”

From her perch, yanking dandelions out of the front yard, freshman Christina Grimm said this did offer a rare chance for a student without wheels to learn more about Cedar Rapids.

“I don't have a car so I am stranded on the campus,” said Grimm, 18, of Bettendorf. “That's not a bad thing but it is nice to see other parts of the city.”

All from a decision Hettinger made just a few days ago.

“I didn't know about it but found out there was this big volunteering thing and I thought it was a great way to meet new people and make their day,” said Hettinger. “I don't know how I'd feel if I couldn't do everything on my own.”