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NFL wants YOU to help others
To kick off a national effort,
N.Y. Giants quarterback
Eli Manning talks about
great returns - but not where
you would expect them.
BY ELI MANNING
MY DAD, Archie, was an NFL
quarterback who always gave
back to the community, send
ing autographed pictures to charities,
hosting an annual golf event for cystic
fibrosis and helping dozens of organiza
tions, from the Boy Scouts to the Ameri
can Cancer Society.
He never said that my brothers, Cooper
and Peyton, and I had to do anything,
but that if we did, we should do it for the
right reasons. Because if you’re not ex
cited about what you’re doing, it’s not
going to do much good.
I eqjoy working with kids. I’m helping
to raise $2.5 million for a state-of-the
art clinic at the Blair E. Batson Child
ren’s Hospital in Jackson, Miss., a part
of the University of Mississippi, where I
went to college.
When I’m in New r York, I visit the pedi
atrics department at St Vincent’s Hos
pital in Manhattan.
To be honest the first time I visited
the hospital, I was a little nervous. I didn’t
know’ the rules or what to say. But soon
I relaxed and realized that most of the
patients are normal kids who have had
normal lives, and all of a sudden thev’re
"It's amazing to know the effect you have on people."
sick and can’t do everything they want
to do. Sometimes they know who I am,
sometimes they don’t. But I just sit and
talk with them and learn about the
newest thing that’s cool in their age
group or what TV shows and video
14
USA WEEKEND • Sept. 14-16,2007
Here's the game plan for Oct. 27.
The National Football
League is now the
official on-air teammate
for USA WEEKEND'S
Make A Difference Day.
During September and October, read
inspirational words from the NFL's
biggest superstars in this magazine
and watch for messages about
Make A Difference Day on NFL
Network's Total Access, during a
gamebroadcastandonNFL.com.
To learn more aboutthe NFL’s
commitment to making a difference
off the field and to get active in your
community, visitjointheteam.com.
NIL stars in our upcoming issues:
• Cannon-armed Eli Manning of the
New York Giants, who kicks it all off.
• Super-elusive RB Warrick Dunn of
the Atlanta Falcons, shown below
with Shaquilte O'Neal in 2005 when
they both received USA WEEKEND'S
Most Caring Athlete Award.
• Punishing linebacker
Derrick Johnson of the
Kansas City Chiefs.
• As a final touchdown,
Super Bowl champ Ben
Roethlisberger of the
Pittsburgh Steelers and
shutdown cornerback Champ
Bailey of the Denver Broncos
on the cover of the Oct. 19-21
edition of USA WEEKEND.
games they like.
It’s amazing to know the effect you
have on people by simply signing your
name on a piece of paper, or getting a
picture taken with a young fan and see
ing them smile and have their spirits
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lifted. Afterward, the nurses tell me,
“This kid’s been excited all day. He didn’t
want to leave the room because he was
waiting for you.”
These kids look up to me and watch
my football games, and it feels great to
give back to them and let them know’
that they’re in my thoughts, too.
Among his efforts for kids:
Eli Manning kicks off the "What
Moves U" program at Alfred S.
Faust Intermediate School in
East Rutherford, NJ.
You can get that same great feeling
on Make A Difference Day by helping
people in your path. Join a food drive,
take your family to clean a park, ask your
club or office to team up to paint a home
less shelter. Whatever you do, like my
dad said, “Do it for the right reasons,” and
you’ll do good, c i
JERRY PINK US