TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Students Go Long For Environment

ADVERTISEMENT

By KEITH MORELLI

kmorelli@tampatrib.com

Published: January 23, 2009

TAMPA - It's prudent to recycle stuff such as plastic bags and bottles, newspapers and aluminum cans. It's good for the environment.

So why not recycle youth sports equipment? How about books?

The NFL, as part of its blanket of pre-Super Bowl activities over Tampa, has an environmental program, part of which involves used sports equipment and books.

The project is simple: Students bring used or new books and sports equipment in good shape to their schools to be donated to schools and organizations serving needy children.

The donations were dropped off Thursday at the Jackson Heights NFL Youth Education Town on East Lake Avenue.

All across the gymnasium floor were boxes of books and sports stuff: bicycle helmets, aluminum bats, footballs, soccer balls and even exercise equipment. In one corner, used bicycles huddled. There were lots more than expected, said Susan Groh, who is in charge of the project for the NFL.

"Kids got new bikes for Christmas and brought their old ones here," she said.

The donations exceeded expectations and the number of schools with students collecting items doubled from last year, she said.

"It's about the giving; them knowing that they are helping other children," she said. "That's the real reward."

The project began in Atlanta at the 2000 Super Bowl. Last year, 50 schools participated.

"We thought that last year was great," Groh said. "We doubled that this year. We really didn't know what to expect. It's kind of like Christmas morning."

Traipsing through the crowd and navigating around the boxes were a dozen members of the Beta Club at the Guardian Angels Catholic School in Clearwater.

Some cradled bicycle helmets; others toted aluminum bats.

"We're doing this," said Stefan Delmas, 14, "for the good of mankind."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT