Thanksgiving, a time of family and togetherness, is also a time to focus on the importance of keeping kids healthy and giving them safe places to play. In support of NFL PLAY 60, the league's youth health and fitness campaign, all Thanksgiving weekend games will raise awareness of the childhood obesity epidemic and showcase the NFL and its clubs' commitment to help reverse this trend.
Beginning on Thanksgiving and continuing throughout the weekend, all stadiums will feature NFL PLAY 60 banners and on-field stencils. In addition, The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and The President's Council on Service and Civic Participation will emphasize the importance of health and fitness by presenting The President's Volunteer Service Award to a player from each team who contributes to his community by encouraging kids to stay active and healthy. These award presentations will take place during pregame ceremonies at all games on November 30.
Packers wide receiver Donald Driver is Green Bay's recipient of the award. One of the team's most community-minded players, Driver was the Packers' 2002 recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and has made more than 400 appearances in the community during his career. Donald, who formed the Donald Driver Foundation in 2000, has sponsored an annual Donald Driver Football Camp in Houston, Milwaukee and Cleveland, Miss., a free event for children between ages 7 and 17. He also has supported numerous other football camps, local Pop Warner football and is a frequent speaker in Wisconsin schools on the topic of fitness and making good decisions in life.
NFL PLAY 60, which encourages the importance of staying active for at least 60 minutes a day, brings together the NFL's long-standing commitment to health and fitness with an impressive roster of partner organizations. Since the program was launched last year, the NFL has committed $100 million to youth health and fitness through programming, grants, and media time for public service announcements.
The Thanksgiving games will include special 90-second public service announcements featuring Lions wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON, Eagles quarterback DONOVAN MCNABB and Cowboys linebacker DEMARCUS WARE. The PSAs were filmed at team PLAY 60 events, where players joined local children to build new places to play. They encourage fans to help fight childhood obesity during Thanksgiving week by logging onto www.NFL.com/PLAY60 to donate to organizations that support youth health and fitness.
