Community

81 Tackles Hunger

Terrell Owens, Buffalo Bills wide receiver, is tackling a major community issue in Western New York as the official spokesperson for the 81tackleshunger fundraising campaign. The campaign coincides with September’s Hunger Action Month and replaces the Buffalo Bills’ in-stadium Fan Food Drive for the 2009-2010 season. The theme of the campaign “We need 81 from everyone,” plays off Owens’ jersey number and requests that every individual donates at least 81 cents and every business donates $81.00 to assist the Food Bank in its efforts to feed 96,000 less fortunate Western New Yorkers. Donations can be made online at www.81tackleshunger.com, in person at any of the 40 participating Tops Friendly Market stores in Erie, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, and Niagara counties, via mail to the Food Bank (donation form available at www.81tackleshunger.com) or over the phone at 716-852-1305.

Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club

Established in 2002, the Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club makes numerous appearances throughout the football season and enables the team's newest players the opportunity to get involved and learn more about the Western New York and Southern Ontario communities. The 2008 Buffalo Bills Toyota Rookie Club made a number of visits throughout Western New York and Canada including Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Lincoln M. Alexander High School in Toronto, Northwest Buffalo Community Center and the Buffalo Bills Holiday Party. Keep checking back throught the season as the Toyota Rookie Club continues to make appearances around the community!

Play 60 Challenge

The Buffalo Bills are proud once again in 2009 to partner with BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and the American Heart Association to run the Play 60 Challenge in schools throughout Western New York.

Play 60 is the NFL's youth health and fitness campaign, focused on making the next generation of kids as healthy as possible by encouraging them to be physically active for at least 60 minutes a day. In addition to national reach through PSA's and online programs, Play 60 is also implemented at the grassroots level through NFL's in-school, after-school and team-based programs all with a focus on the importance of physical fitness and healthy lifestyles.

The Buffalo Bills Play 60 Challenge sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York and the American Heart Association incorporates several key elements such as in school activity kits for teachers, fitness planners for students, and a four week fitness contest. The four week fitnesscontest includes a pep rally style kickoff event with over 1,700 Buffalo Public School students to get the children excited about physical fitness and a fitness party for over 300 Buffalo Public School students and teachers in the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse. For more information on the NFL Play 60 program please visit www.nflrush.com/health.

Kid's Escaping Drugs

The Buffalo Bills, Verizon Wireless and 97 Rock teamed up to support the Kids Escaping Drugs Campaign. To benefit and raise awareness for the campaign Buffalo Bills QB Trent Edwards, DE Chris Kelsay, S Donte Whitner, CB Leodis McKelvin, G Brad Butler and DT John McCargo signed autographs at the Verizon Wireless Store at the McKinley Mall on November 3rd. The Kids Escaping Drugs Campaign was created with the purpose of raising funds for the construction and support of adolescent drug & alcohol treatment facilities. The Kids Escaping Drugs Renaissance Campus is located in West Seneca, NY and consists of three buildings that house up to 62 chemically-dependent youths ages 12 to 20. For more information on Kids Escaping Drugs visit http://www.ked.org.

Community Ticket Program

The Buffalo Bills Community Ticket Donation program is very popular with the team. Various Bills players and coaches take part in purchasing and donating season tickets to community groups and organizations of their choice. Guests are given game tickets along with food and beverage vouchers. In recognition of the groups and the coaches' and players' donation, there are banners along the stadium ring wall and an announcement welcoming the guests on the scoreboard. Over the past 4 years Buffalo Bills players and coaches have donated over 5,000 tickets to local community groups.

Bills Billieve Breast Cancer Awareness

The Buffalo Bills partnered with Kaleida Health, the Western New York Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Zeta Tau Alpha, and the Bills Women's Association to coordinate their fourth annual Billieve - Breast Cancer Awareness program Sunday, October 11, 2009 at the Bills vs. Browns game at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Pregame activities included a pink ribbon distribution to fans at the entrance gates, breast cancer survivors on the field forming Stampede Row, a pink coin for the coin toss and the presentation of the game ball, which was a special ceremonial pink football. The Jills cheerleaders wore pink jerseys and used pink pom-poms during the game. The Bills had pink goal post padding, Billieve banners on the stadium ring wall and ribbon logos painted on the field. Players also used pink cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline caps, Captain's patches and sideline and quarterback towels. In addition, the Bills implemented the overall NFL BCA initiatives including pink ribbon stickers on player's helmets and players/coaches in pink-themed Reebok sideline gear.

Throughout the 2009 season, Delaware North Companies (DNC), the Bills retail partner, is selling "Billieve" logo merchandise such as pink tees, hats, knit caps, "Billieve" logo mini-helmets and other pink-themed Reebok items at their locations and on-line. Proceeds go to the local Komen and national American Cancer Society. These items will be available at The Bills Store locations in Orchard Park at Ralph Wilson Stadium and in Victor at Eastview Mall.

In support of the Billieve initiative, The Bills and DNC also hosted a player autograph session on October 12th to promote breast cancer awareness month via the new pink-themed product line at the Bills Store. Bills players Ryan Denney, Fred Jackson, and Josh Reed signed autographs and posed for pictures with fans that purchased pink Billieve merchandise at the Buffalo Bills Store at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

Blood Drive

Buffalo Bills quarterback Trent Edwards and safety George Wilson led a team effort to donate blood on June 5, 2009 in the Paul Maguire Club at Ralph Wilson Stadium as the Bills and American Red Cross hosted their Third Annual Blood Drive.
Edwards and Wilson were the spokespersons for the annual event and appeared at the Blood Drive to meet with fans and sign autographs for all of the donors in attendance. In addition, special appearances were made throughout the day by many other Bills players, Jills cheerleaders and Billy Buffalo.
Presenting donors received a commemorative gift and were entered in random drawings for many great prizes. For more information on the American Red Cross in Western New York please visit www.buffaloredcross.org/.

Touchdown for Teachers 

The Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank started a “Touchdown for Teachers” program where teachers are honored for their outstanding service to their schools and communities. During the November 29th Buffalo Bills home game selected teachers were honored for their outstanding service to their schools and communities. Five (5) finalists were selected by a panel of community members and school officials, with the assistance of the Buffalo Bills and M&T Bank. Honorees were chosen based on their amount of involvement in the school or community, degree of positive impact on the school or community and their demonstrated commitment to education.