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When a Tiffin resident with an injured leg was unable to move some of his belongings into his new home, local college students came to his rescue.

Heidelberg University and Tiffin University students showed up to help Joe Kidwell Friday afternoon.

Kidwell said he had hired people to help him move but he found things missing. He and his toy poodle, Peppy, moved into a Jefferson Street residence at the beginning of January.

Kidwell, who fell and hurt his leg and has other health issues, needed help moving some belongings. When he called Tiffin's First Call for Help, an official instructed him to call TU. He said he called the university and was treated with respect by an employee.

"That's when she kept trying to find someone (to help)," he said.

TU sent over two baseball players to help. Kidwell described them as helpful, kind, quick and polite.

"The others guys let me down, but Tiffin University was there for me," he said.

Jason Bailey, a TU junior from Marysville studying business management, said an assistant coach called him and asked whether he wanted to help. He said the coach gave him the address and instructed him to call Kidwell when they arrived. Neither he nor Donie Smith, a TU junior from Johnstown studying homeland security, had class.

Bailey said baseball players must do community service, and the team helps out when it can.

What was their motivation?

"Somebody needed help," Smith said.

TU students made trip after trip to unload Kidwell's Oldsmobile parked in front of his home. They carried in boxes of groceries, clothing, a blanket, computer tower and microwave.

"See how kind he is," Kidwell said as one worked.

"These are real nice, courteous kids," he said.

Kidwell said he had a sofa bed at his other apartment. He said he doesn't have a bed and has been sleeping on the floor without a blanket.

"Boy, did it get cold last night," he said.

After TU students helped Kidwell at his new residence, two Heidelberg students and his pet groomer helped him at his old one.

Kidwell said the workers took off the door and helped move his couch. He said the Heidelberg students were the same as those from TU: helpful, kind, polite and serious.

Joshua Cunningham, a Heidelberg sophomore from Hilliard studying political science, said he and Clay Chapman, a senior from Bascom studying political science, are fraternity brothers.

Cunningham said he got a phone call from an employee in financial aid who asked whether he could help. They had been playing video games and agreed to help.

He said their fraternity, Excelsior Men's Society, does a lot of activities similar to those as helping Kidwell Friday.

"We do a lot of community service types of things for the fraternity," he said.

On the Web:

Heidelberg University:

www.heidelberg.edu

Tiffin University:

www.tiffin.edu