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WIU RPTA students gain hands-on experience at the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament Fan Fun Zone at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline March 12-13.
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Students in the WIU RPTA program will be applying more of their classroom knowledge as they coordinate a community-based human foosball tournament.
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Working with Visit Quad Cities, the Quad Cities destination management organization, students recruited agencies like Quad City Bouncy, QC Magic Club, WQPT, Quad Cities Botanical Center, Two Rivers YMCA and the Moline Parks and Recreation Department to host fun, hands-on activities for families to participate in during the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament.
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Foos for Families Event April 10

March 28, 2022

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MACOMB/MOLINE, IL - - The Western Illinois University Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) will host the seventh annual human foosball tournament, Foos for Families, to benefit local families Sunday, April 10.

Students in RPTA 467: Event Planning and Management gained hands-on experience through their assisting with the MVC Women's Basketball Tournament Fan Fun Zone at the TaxSlayer Center in Moline on March 12 and 13, and they will be applying more of their learning as they coordinate a community-based human foosball tournament, with all proceeds benefiting The Center for Youth and Family Solutions.

"Service-learning partnerships like these benefit our local communities and provide students meaningful opportunities to apply what they're learning in classes," said RPTA Associate Professor Jeremy Robinett. "Students gain practical experience in working with the public that better prepares them for their future careers. They gain hands-on experience that makes them more competitive and better prepared for the job market. We're so thankful for the agencies that partner with us to provide these opportunities for our students."

Working with Visit Quad Cities, the Quad Cities destination management organization, students recruited agencies like Quad City Bouncy, QC Magic Club, WQPT, Quad Cities Botanical Center, Two Rivers YMCA and the Moline Parks and Recreation Department to host fun, hands-on activities for families to participate in during the MVC Women's Basketball Tournament.

"The MVC Women's Basketball Tournament is a signature event for the QC and continues to bring national attention to our regional destination," said Jessica Waytenick, public relations and marketing manager, Visit Quad Cities. "We appreciate the WIU students' commitment to making the Fan Fun Zone a successful part of the tournament. The kid-friendly activities are well received by the spectators."

This year's Foos for Families event is designed to be compliant with Covid-19 guidelines, to provide support for local families and to give students a hands-on learning opportunity. The two-part event will feature teams of up to five people participating in an Amazing Race-style field race competition using clues about the Rocky Dogs to earn shots on goal on an enlarged human foosball court. As teams solve clues found at Rocky Dogs around town, they will earn additional shots on goal.

The race to find clues will take place from 2–3:30 p.m. Each team will have a designated time to meet at Campus Recreation to take their shots on goal sometime between 3:30–5 p.m. The team who successfully completes the most shots on goal will be the 2022 Foos for Families winner.

"The event raises funds and awareness about the needs of families in the community," CYFS employee Carrie Depoy said. "Specifically, this event helps us raise funds for items like school supplies, winter coats, activity fees, haircuts, hygiene products, cleaning items, fuel cards to attend counseling and many other everyday needs."

Masks will be required throughout the event, and social distancing will be required inside Campus Recreation. Teams will have assigned times for their shots on goal to facilitate safer interactions. In order to comply with Covid-19 guidelines, only 10 teams will be allowed to compete in the 2022 Foos for Families event.

To register teams, visit macombparkdistrict.com. The cost per team is $25.

For more information about a Foos sponsorship or giving to CYFS, contact Depoy or Matt Vail, CYFS supervisor, at (309) 833-1791 or at Mvail@cyfsolutions.org. For questions about the Foos for Families event, contact Robinett at jl-robinett@wiu.edu or (309) 298-1967.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing