Voyage Federal Credit Union CEO to Volunteer at Superbowl LII
November 22, 2017
Super Bowl LII, the 52nd Super Bowl and the 48th modern-era National Football League (NFL) championship game, will decide the league champion for the 2017 NFL season. The game is scheduled to be held on February 4, 2018, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and an estimated one million people will flock to Minneapolis for this event and the ten days leading up to it. While the odds of recognizing anyone in that crowd are pretty slim, many of us know one person who will be on the ground during the festivities: Darla Erb, CEO of Voyage Federal Credit Union.
Erb won’t be a regular ticket holder, or just another fan watching the game from the stadium. She will, in fact, be a volunteer – working for free at the week’s events. “I was born in Minnesota, I am a lifelong Vikings Fan, raised in a Vikings home, and married a Vikings guy,” says Erb. “I have been to numerous games, and we get together whenever we can on Sundays with family and friends to watch the football games.”
Last July, an announcement was made that 10,000 volunteers were needed to help out in Minneapolis during Super Bowl week. Chad Greenway, retired Minnesota Vikings player and originally from South Dakota, is the Captain for the “Crew 52” volunteer team. Since Erb follows Chad on social media, she was already in the football/Super Bowl loop for quite some time. So she completed the online volunteer application in July, and soon received an email that she was selected to have an in-person interview on September 9th. Erb did not hesitate, and made the 250 mile trek to Minneapolis from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. However, her trepidation grew when she learned that there were more than 30,000 applicants for the 10,000 volunteer positions. Worse yet, from those 10,000 position, only 1,000 non-Minnesota residents would be selected. She kept her fingers crossed, but knew the odds were slim.
It was an exciting day when, two weeks after that interview, Erb received a phone call and an email from Crew 52 confirming that she had been selected to volunteer at the Super Bowl! Sadly, her husband, who also applied, was not selected. But he is being a good sport, and plans to travel to Minneapolis with her to enjoy all the wintery Super Bowl week festivities and entertainment. And it will also be a bit of a family reunion, as Erb’s aunt, Luanne, from Spicer, MN is also serving on Crew 52 and her husband plans to travel with her as well.
Recently, on Sunday November 12th an informal Crew 52 gathering was held in St Paul, MN to watch the Vikings game, followed by a Super Bowl volunteer orientation at the Xcel Energy Center. Attendees learned history and background information of the Super Bowl event, heard about security efforts from law enforcement agencies, details of training to come, and saw a fashion show of the volunteer uniforms.
The next step in the process will be the assigning of a specific role and training. Volunteers are able to select their top three preferences of where to work, and what role they prefer. While she is hoping for an indoor role, she is prepared to deal with the elements, saying, “I am a hearty South Dakotan and (unfortunately) can handle winter in the Midwest!”
Erb is quite honored to know she was selected from so many people for this honor. According to the volunteer website, those selected must be bold, friendly people who are passionate about football, about Minnesota, about extending a warm welcome to all visitors. Volunteers must also commit to three or more shifts during Super Bowl LII week (January 27 – February 4, 2018) with a willingness to be flexible and work 4 – 6 hours at a time. Additionally, all transportation, housing, and expenses are the responsibility of the volunteers. Erb says having family in the Twin Cities area will help keep costs down.
As for perks, Erb will receive a uniform, which includes a jacket, polo, backpack, and accessories, she will make history as a member of “Crew 52,” and will have a once in a lifetime adventure. “I’m excited to be serving as a Super Bowl volunteer, and I am ready to show that I am ‘Minnesota Nice’ and ready to welcome the world to the bold north! People from other parts of the United States, and the world for that matter, will be amazed at how we all live here in the Midwest - especially during the winter season, with smiles on our faces and warmth in our hearts!”