NFL HEALTH UPDATE - DECEMBER 10, 2014
GIANTS HELPING TO MAKE NYC PUBLIC SCHOOL ATHLETICS SAFER
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced last week a $1.2 million donation to the city's Public Schools Athletic League from New York Giants Chairman and Executive Vice President Steve Tisch. The donation, made to the Fund for Public Schools, will provide 53 new certified trainers and EMTs to oversee all contact football practices at schools with varsity and junior varsity teams. As a result, nearly 3,500 high school football players will have trained personnel at their practices, helping avoid injuries and ensuring a swift response if a player is hurt on the field. The Mayor made the announcement with Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and with players from Erasmus Hall and Abraham Lincoln High School, which played each other in the final of the PSAL playoffs on December 9 at Yankee Stadium.
"For any parent, watching a child take the field is a proud moment, but no matter how old our kids get, we still worry about their safety," said de Blasio. "This donation means thousands of our student-athletes will have extra support at practices to stay safe. We thank Steve Tisch for giving back and investing in the next generation of athletes."
TITANS ORGANIZATION HELPS HOMELESS DURING HOLIDAYS
The Tennessee Titans joined forces with Second Harvest Food Bank to assist the Bridge Ministry, recently serving hundreds of homeless people under Nashville's Jefferson Street Bridge over the holiday season.
More than 100 volunteers from the Titans' organization, including players, cheerleaders, staff and families were on hand to deliver hot meals, hand out clothing items and bring smiles to the faces of those in need.
Titans ownership, including Tommy Smith, Susie Adams Smith and Kenneth S. Adams IV, presented the Bridge Ministry with a $25,000 check to continue its long-standing efforts in providing services to Nashville's less-fortunate.
"This is the very same community that supports us throughout the entire season, so what better way to express our gratitude than to be out here with them tonight," said Titans safety George Wilson.
VIKINGS EXECUTIVES HOST ADOPTION FUN FEST
Vikings general manager Rick Spielman and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski and their families recently hosted the annual Adoption Family Fun Fest at the team's Winter Park headquarters.
More than 500 people in families that have been united by Children's Home Society and Family Services of Minnesota and EVOLE Adoption and Family Services attended the event that celebrates adoptions and raises awareness toward the need that children have to be part of a family. Spielman and his wife, Michele, have six children through adoptions that have spanned the past 16 years. Brzezinski and his wife, Leah, adopted their five children.
"Adoption has a truly special place in our heart and for the Brzezinski's because we feel very strongly that every kid in this world needs a chance to have a family," Spielman told attendees. "God gave us the direction that we weren't going to have children on our own, but we're very thankful for the kids that we were blessed with."
49ERS PLAYER DONATES $1 MILLION FOR SCHOLARSHIPS
San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Anquan Boldin recently announced that he and his wife, Dionne, will provide a charitable gift of $1 million to be used for an annual distribution of scholarships to high school graduates The scholarships will be provded by the Anquan Boldin Foundation and will be awarded annually based on students' academic achievements, their contributions in the community and who demonstrate the need.
This fall, the Anquan Boldin Foundation distributed $10,000 scholarships to four high-school graduates for a total of $40,000 in awards. The Foundation's mission is to expand the educational and life opportunities of underprivileged youth and focuses on charitable activities in Phoenix, Baltimore, South Florida and San Francisco Bay Area.
"My wife and I are very blessed to have the opportunity to provide this $1 million endowment," said Boldin. "In my football career, using this platform in order to give back has always been important. Establishing this gift will allow my Foundation to help youth in a more effective way, and to continue our distribution of scholarships to deserving students."
RAIDERS VISIT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WINNER OF PLAY 60 SCHOOL CHALLENGE
For the second year in a row, students at Walnut Creek's Indian Valley Elementary got to spend time with the Oakland Raiders as a result of the school finishing first in the Raiders NFL Play 60 Challenge.
Raiders players James Jones, Tony Bergstrom and Keith McGill; Raiderettes Erica and Monica B. and Raider Rusher spoke to fourth and fifth grade classes about the importance of staying healthy, and held a Q&A session with the students. The players then led the students in physical activity inside the school's auditorium.
The Play 60 Challenge was open to public and private schools (4th – 8th graders) in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Indian Valley Elementary won as the school with the highest average minutes of daily physical activity per student. The challenge is a joint program of the Oakland Raiders, American Heart Association (AHA), and the NFL that helps schools become places that encourage physically active lifestyles year-round.
DOLPHINS VISIT ALEX’S PLACE AT SYLVESTER COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER
Miami Dolphins players Brandon Gibson and Jason Fox, along with Miami Dolphins Women's Organization member Diane Philbin, visited patients, their families and staff at Alex's Place -- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center's pediatric oncology clinic. The visit was in honor of the Dolphins Cycling Challenge (DCC) and the organization's commitment to funding cancer research in South Florida.
Christie LaPorte, a patient at Alex's Place who recently had surgery, called the visit "super awesome."
"I've never met a Miami Dolphins player before," she said. "For high school, I've visited their training camp bubble. It was really great to make that connection to now meeting a player. This makes my day a lot better."
-- NFL Communications