FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
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Department of the Interior
Contact: Joan Moody
202-208-6416
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NFL Helps Carry the Ball for Take Pride in America |
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-- Building inner-city playground and national PSAs highlight partnership --
(WASHINGTON) – "NFL Kickoff Live 2003," the National Football League's second
annual football and music festival, will not only celebrate the opening of a
football season but also promote the U.S. Department of Interior’s TAKE PRIDE IN
AMERICA initiative, which encourages volunteerism on public lands.
"The NFL Kickoff is a wonderful opportunity to showcase public service by
volunteers who help to protect our natural resources," said U.S. Secretary of
Interior Gale Norton. “Take Pride in America is a national partnership that aims
to inspire a new generation of volunteers to put their love of country to work
to improve our national parks, wildlife refuges, public lands, cultural and
historic sites, playgrounds and other recreation areas.”
Secretary Norton will welcome the crowd – including thousands of military
personnel – to the National Mall on the Sept. 4. On the Jumbotron, and in
broadcasts of the game on ABC television and CBS radio, Redskin players LaVar
Arrington, Laveranues Coles and Patrick Ramsey will narrate public service
announcements about Take Pride in America.
On Wednesday, Sept. 3, Norton, former Redskin Darrell Green, former
Pittsburgh Steeler Franco Harris and former San Francisco 49er Steve Young and
other volunteers will join Home Depot to assist KaBOOM, a nonprofit
organization, in building a “playground for hope” at the WC Smith Housing
development in southeast Washington, D.C.
Take Pride in America will staff a booth at the football festival theme park
between 7th and 12th Streets Northwest on the Mall. At the booth, decorated with
Take Pride in America banners, volunteers can sign up to help and get more
information about how to get involved in Take Pride in America.
“We greatly appreciate the support of the NFL and other partners for this
wonderful opportunity to reach the America public,” said Marti Allbright,
executive director of Take Pride in America. “This partnership will help
invigorate countless Americans to roll up their shirtsleeves and volunteer to
restore a cultural or natural resource in their community.”
Secretary Norton launched the Take Pride in America program on April 16,
2003, at the National Press Club. On June 27, Norton named Allbright, former
Chief Deputy Attorney General of Colorado, as the director.
In less than five months, Take Pride in America already has gained tremendous
momentum by holding community service and award events and enlisting more than a
100 charter partners – including major corporations, conservation groups,
service organizations, trade associations and a bipartisan coalition of state
governors. Formal partnerships with state governments allow federal and state
land managers to identify volunteer opportunities and to enlist public service
commitments from citizens. Take Pride is part of President George W. Bush’s USA
Freedom Corps, dedicated to fostering a culture of service to others.
Companies and corporations can help by sponsoring Take Pride in America
cleanup days or by committing blocks of volunteer service time to local
restoration efforts. Take Pride sponsors a national recognition and awards
program.
“The NFL is proud to be part of the national Take Pride in America Initiative
to encourage protection of public lands and cultural resources,” says Patrick
Ramsey, Washington Redskins quarterback, in one of the public service
announcements to be broadcast Thursday. “Volunteer. It’s your land. Lend a
hand.”
For more information, go to
www.takeprideinamerica.gov.
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