COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Tech soccer team continued its presence at community events on Sunday, volunteering at the American Diabetes Association Step Out Walk. The event was the second in two days for the Golden Eagles, who have been quite active in Tech community activities all fall.

Less than 24 hours after volunteering at Northeast Elementary school at its annual BBQ and carnival, the ladies of the Tech soccer program found themselves making a difference, yet again. The players worked a couple of booths in the pre-walk festivities, handing out food and beverages as well as information packets on diabetes.

The event really hit home with the players, several of whom have relatives touched by the disease in one way or another. Among those Golden Eagles familiar with the disease, senior midfielder and nursing major Kerri Reid was present and eager to spread information to the many who came to the event.

"It really is important to come out here and raise awareness," Reid said. "Many people don't know that they have diabetes until they go to the doctor and the collateral damage has already been done to their body. If more people knew how to take preventive measures by exercising more and eating better, this disease wouldn't have as big of an effect on people; and that's what we're out here trying to help do."

As recent as 2011, nearly 19 million people in the United States had been diagnosed with some form of diabetes. Another seven million people are unaware they even have the disease. With almost two million new cases of diabetes diagnosed in people 20 years of age or older since 2010, the information and service provided by the Tech soccer team was more important than ever.

For more information on diabetes and the early signs, check out the American Diabetes Associtiaon's website here.

Some snapshots from Sunday's Step Out for Diabetes Walk:

Photos by Rob Schabert