Thanks to Tim Tebow's announcement Sunday that he will be returning to UF next year, local organizations may see a boost in volunteers.
In an effort to convince Tebow to stay at UF for his senior season, about 50 Gators fans pledged to volunteer in 2009 at www.DontGoTebow.com, a Web site launched Jan. 2.
Kristen Soltis, a UF alumna now working in Washington, D.C., created the Web site after she heard that one reason Tebow was considering the NFL was to have more time for community service and mission trips.
"He is just one person, and one person can only do so much," Soltis said. "But we've got the whole Gator Nation."
Because Tebow's announcement came so early, the Web site's purpose has become more of a "thank you" than a "don't go," she said.
More than 175 hours a month have been pledged, which tallies up to more than 2,000 hours for the year, according to the Web site. Some members have pledged as many as 40 hours.
"I think it says two big things," Soltis said. "First, Tebow's impact has been enormous, and people understand that volunteering is important to him and to the community."
The Web site includes a pledge form where Gators fans can enter their names, e-mail addresses, where they would like to volunteer and how many hours a month they can commit.
Soltis said she plans to e-mail everyone with suggestions on where they might want to volunteer.
Although it is unclear if everyone will follow through with his or her pledge, Brandon Crone is not taking his own commitment lightly.
Crone, a UF aerospace engineering junior, was among the first to join and submit his pledge to the Facebook group that later spawned the Web site.
He pledged to volunteer one hour for each touchdown Tebow scored this season. Crone mentioned Relay for Life and Habitat for Humanity as possible volunteering options.
"I gave my word, and there's really no maximum," he said.
