Fourth annual ‘Keep Pounding’ day of service honors Panthers legend Sam Mills

CHARLOTTE — The Carolina Panthers celebrated the team’s fourth annual day of service devoted to their legendary teammate.

The team is giving back as part of its “Keep Pounding Day” through community service projects in Charlotte, Raleigh and Spartanburg.

Channel 9′s Anthony Kustura visited Victoria Yards in First Ward where the service work kicked off Friday morning.

The big day for the Panthers included framing a new home in the neighborhood for Habitat for Humanity. Katie Hanchuruck is the construction site supervisor for Habitat for Humanity.

“We’re going to be framing the walls, nailing in all the different components, windows, studs, getting them all nailed together,” Hanchuruck said.

She said volunteer work like this keeps costs down.

Panthers head coach Matt Rhule said they’re getting some expert help from construction students at Harding University High School.

“We’ll learn a lot more from them than they will from us,” Rhule said.

It’s real world experience for 11th-grader Yareli, who said she wants to pursue homebuilding when she graduates.

“I just like learning the new tools,” Yareli said.

The Panthers have held this day of service for the last four years. Last year, they built a community garden in east Charlotte. Players, coaches and other staff members all took part.

The service day is held in memory of Sam Mills.

The Hall of Fame Panthers linebacker coined the team’s “Keep Pounding” motto. He died in 2005 after he was diagnosed with intestinal cancer and given three months to live.

“I think it’s a great tradition and I think it’s something that every year we’ll just continue to build,” Rhule said.

The house will be moved to its permanent location in southwest Charlotte to be completed. From students to long time volunteers like Susan Flynn, everyone is happy to help.

“It’s a wonderful thing to build community and it’s what I love about Charlotte,” Flynn said. “I built that, you know. I made that with my hands to help somebody else.”

Along with the project in First Ward, team members were also at Johnson C. Smith University in west Charlotte to help refurbish a food pantry providing fresh food to families.

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