Miami Dolphins players, alumni, cheerleaders and staff blitzed the community on Tuesday, December 21, with a host of events throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County.
Tuesday morning began at the Cooperative Feeding Program facility in Ft. Lauderdale, where Miami Dolphins staff, “Special Teams” volunteers, and players including Tyler Thigpen, Lydon Murtha, and Quentin Moses served food to those in need to preselected members of the program. The Cooperative Feeding Program provides counseling and support to families in need.
Members of the organization followed up the Ft. Lauderdale visit with a trip to Miami Children’s Hospital to pass out teddy bears as a way to provide the children special cheer during this holiday season. Dolphins Alumni, cheerleaders, and players including Davone Bess and Lousaka Polite took part in this event. Additionally, Dolphins Alumni and Cheerleaders also visited Doctors Hospital (Baptist Health South Florida) located in Coral Gables to hand out special Dolphins items.
“The players are such a great thing to have here in the hospital. Some of them (kids) had been here for quite some time and they’re spending the holidays here…and they’re not here with their family and friends most times because everyone is still really busy working during the holidays—and it’s just such a really nice gift to have them come out here. I’ve had a lot of special reactions. Kids were just blown away, it was amazing.” Said Krista Caballero, Child Life Specialist for Miami Children’s Hospital
Players at the event echoed Caballero’s sentiments.
“This experience is definitely more personal with me being that I have a daughter,” said Lousaka Polite. “It just puts things into perspective…(you know) we play a game, at the end of the day it’s a game and we have to remember that and not lose sight of it and know that there’s somebody less fortunate. There are kids that are going to be in a hospital bed over the holidays and we just want to make them smile and bring some joy in their life. So, I enjoy doing this every Tuesday.”
Following the hospital visits, Miami Dolphins staff, “Special Teams” volunteers , and players including Yeremiah Bell and Chris Clemons served food to those in need in conjunction with the Feeding South Florida Mobile Food Pantry in Opa-Locka (formerly Daily Bread Food Bank).
Members of the Dolphins organization finished up the day by doing some holiday shopping with kids at Dick’s Sporting Goods. 20 kids in need from the Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade and Broward County paired up with Dolphins CEO Mike Dee, Dolphins Fishing Tournament Chairman Jeff Peck, alumni, cheerleaders, and a host of players including Brandon Marshall, Jake Long, Ronnie Brown, Brian Hartline, Ryan Baker, Chris Baker, Nate Ness, Mickey Shuler, Nate Garner, A.J. Edds, and Ray Feinga. Each child was given $300 to spend on merchandise through donations from Dick’s Sporting Goods, players and Peck.
“Being new to South Florida we’re just happy that we’re able to reach back out to the community in being part of such a great thing with the kids and the Miami Dolphins and just supporting the local Boys and Girls Club. Dick’s Sporting Goods is all about the community and giving back. We’ve done this before with other organizations and we look to do it again in the future. It’s all about the kids, especially at this time of year.” Said Brian DeVaney, Store Manager for Dick’s Sporting Goods
“I think it’s special for these kids,” said Brian Hartline “Kids that really aren’t as privileged as a lot of other kids. It gives an opportunity for us players that are very privileged and very thankful to go out and help other kids. (Shopped) for footballs and gloves and the things that we take for granted and they really appreciated it and I think they had a good time.”
