Jaguars Pro Bowl offensive tackle Leon Searcy, a nine-year NFL veteran, is the November recipient of the Jacksonville Jaguars-Robert W. Baird & Co. Community Leader Award, presented monthly during the. NFL season to the Jaguars' player who demonstrates exemplary community involvement.
In partnership with Robert W. Baird & Company, Inc., a $500 donation will be made to the Lee Boys & Girls Club in Jacksonville. Four players will be named during the 2000 season, culminating in December with a year-end luncheon at ALLTEL Stadium and an additional $3,000 charity donation for the player select- ed as the 2000 Community Leader of the Year. Comerback Fernando Bryant was September's honoree and punter Bryan Barker was the October winner.
Searcy, an NFL Extra Effort Award winner in 1996 and 1999 for his community involvement, is active
in the Jacksonville and Orlando communities through The Searcy Foundation, which aims to serve at-risk chil- dren, physically challenged youth and underprivileged families. In addition to his foundation programs Searcy serves as a spokesman for the National Kidney Foundation, hosts an annual holiday blood drive for the Florida-Georgia Blood Alliance, donates funds to Baptist Medical Center for diabetes education, serves on the local board for the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, and recently partnered with Florida Governor Jeb Bush for the state's "PowerUp Florida" initiative, which provides disadvantaged youth with critical technological tools and training to ensure that they are not left behind in the rapidly changing digital age. In November, Searcy will help sponsor Operation Blessing, a food distribution effort in Jacksonville for over 3,000 local families.
"It means so much to me to be able to help other people from all facets of life," said Searcy. "I'm a caring person at heart and my caring far outweighs playing football. I sincerely like helping people, and now I realize that the more exposure I get from helping others, the more people we can help."
Searcy will be presented with a commemorative plaque later this month. The 2000 Community Leader of the Year will also be presented with a special plaque with a duplicate made to be displayed in the Jaguars' offices at ALLTEL Stadium.
For more information, please contact the Community Affairs Department at (904) 633-6582.
Jacksonville Jaguars 0 One ALLTEL Stadium Place 0 Jacksonville, Florida 32202
