Bears Launch Youth for Life Program

The Chicago Bears charitable arm, Bears Care, will launch Youth for Life: Remembering Walter Payton on Tuesday, October 9 at three local Chicago high schools. Payton's wife, Connie, will be joined by former Bears WR Dennis McKinnon and current Bears TE Fred Baxter at Walter Payton High to speak to teens about the importance of organ donation and to trade an "autograph for an autograph"-- signing an autograph for those students who sign up for organ donation. Current Bears RB James Allen, CB Jerry Azumah, WR Marty Booker and S Larry Whigham along with former Bear G Tom Thayer, transplant recipients and donor family members are also scheduled to participate in assemblies at the three schools on Tuesday. Payton, the Bears Hall of Fame running back, died in 1999 of a liver ailment. He was on the organ donation list.

Also in honor of the program, Redskins RB Ki-Jana Carter and WR Darnerien McCants will visit Georgetown Visitation on October 9 to help educate high school students about the life-giving gift of organ donation. The players will sign a Redskins magnet schedule in return for a student's signature to become an organ donor. Buffalo Bills G Ruben Brown, along with representatives from Upstate New York Transplant Services, will meanwhile visit the Harley School in Rochester to host an assembly with high school students in recognition of Youth for Life as well.

Tuesday is the traditional day off for NFL players during the season. It is the day used by players to escape the rigors of pro football and get reacquainted with rest and relaxation. But many players also use their day off to “go to work” in their communities.

In the 2001 season, the NFL will highlight these day-off community endeavors with a program entitled “NFL Tuesdays.” The program is designed to raise awareness, both locally and nationally, about the day-off charitable work of NFL players and coaches.

“For years, NFL players and coaches have been working extensively in their communities on their day off,” says NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. “While many of us use our two-day weekend to relax, countless NFL players and coaches use their one day off during the season to give back to their communities. It’s time players received more credit for that.”

Every week, the NFL will gather information from its clubs about player and coach activities scheduled for the upcoming Tuesday. The information then will be distributed to media and fans.

Following are some of the activities players and coaches will be participating in this October 9 (for a complete list, log on to nfl.com):

Team	Player	Brief Description of Activity
Arizona Cardinals	Mao Tosi, Russell Davis	Signing autographs for Phoenix Family Advocacy Center at Phoenix City Hall in support of domestic violence awareness.
Carolina Panthers	Dee Brown, Jarrod Cooper, Nick Goings, Matt Lytle, Kory Minor, Steve Smith, Lester Towns, Jim Turner	Partnering with the United Way of Central Carolinas to upgrade the after-school program at the Ada Jenkins Center. Panther players will purchase and assemble new bookcases, host a reception for the students and create a library for the children. The Ada Jenkins Center’s After School Program serves children from underprivileged backgrounds who have been identified by their schools as needing additional academic assistance.
Cleveland Browns	Courtney Brown Phil Dawson Ray Jackson Jeremy McKinney	Visiting children at Rainbows Babies and Children’s Hospital. During the visit, each child has the opportunity to visit with the Cleveland Browns players. Before leaving, players gather with several children in the playroom for a craft activity and to share their talent via television with other children who are too ill to personally join the Browns players for the activity.
Buffalo Bills	Kenyatta Wright	Visiting the Orchard Park Elementary School for the “Rush for Reading” challenge. Wright will read to grade school students to help promote the reading challenge, which runs throughout the month of October. More than 16,000 Buffalo Public School children are included in this program. Wright will also spend the lunch hour with residents at the Waters of New York senior home in Orchard Park.
Green Bay Packers	Marco Rivera, Donald Driver, Mike Wahle, Kabeer Gbaja-biamiala	Participating in a youth football clinic
Jacksonville Jaguars	Brad Meester	Participating in the Jaguars Foundation reading program at the Highlands Branch Library
Miami Dolphins	Jay Fiedler, O.J. McDuffie, Derrick Rodgers, Matt Turk	Attending Build-A-Bear Workshop to build teddy bears with kids who have Cystic Fibrosis. Build-A-Bear Workshop is donating the bears to be used as centerpieces and auctioned off at the Super Bowl of Fashion held on Friday, October 26 to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.
Minnesota Vikings	Eric Kelly, Carey Scott and Kenny Clark	Hosting the Ronald McDonald House Volunteer Appreciation Dinner at the Vikings Winter Park Training Facility.
Oakland Raiders	Lincoln Kennedy	Helping out with Meals on Wheels in Oakland
San Diego Chargers	Junior Seau, Doug Flutie and other players	More than 700 guests are expected at a fundraising luncheon honoring Flutie and hosted by the Seau Foundation. All proceeds go the Seau Foundation and the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism
St. Louis Rams	London Fletcher	Attending a party at the Pavillion to mingle with supporters of the St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Washington Redskins	Tony Banks	Tony will read to a first grade class from Ashburn Elementary School. He will encourage students to read more and distribute Redskins Reading materials to enhance their skills.