Winslow, others help Plant City youth league replace stolen gear

PLANT CITY - Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Kellen Winslow has pitched in. So has the NFL. And big companies such as Mosaic, Walmart and GTECH.

The goal: raise $25,000 to help a youth sports program recover from thefts and vandalism at its home field in east Hillsborough County..

A year ago, the Plant City Eagles youth program was hit hard when helmets, jerseys and shoulder pads valued at $15,000 were stolen from the storage building/concession stand, and the ice machine, scoreboard and snow-cone machine were vandalized at the program's home field at the Bealsville Recreation Center

The loss of funding from the concession stand also needed to be replaced, said William Thomas Jr., public relations and fundraising board member of the Improvement League of Plant City Inc., sponsor of the youth organization.

"Whoever hit us knew just how to hurt us," Thomas said.

That's where the community has stepped up.

Winslow Jr., who sponsored Eagles players at a youth football camp he hosted last summer, donated $5,000 in cash and in kind last year.
"When I heard about what happened to the kids at Plant City, I felt that I needed to help out because of how much this program meant to the children and the community of Plant City," said Winslow, who was acquired the Bucs before last season. "Even though I had just arrived here in Tampa, I felt like this was a perfect opportunity to help out the community."

His donation was matched by the National Football League Youth Football Fund Program, which ordered equipment valued at $5,000.
Mosaic, a phosphate company that recently opened its Florida headquarters in Lithia, has donated $2,000.

"We have a presence in the Bealsville community – some of our employees live there – and we wanted to help," said David Townsend, assistant vice president of public affairs for Mosaic.

Other supporters include Walmart, GTECH Corp. and the Hillsborough County Parks and Recreation Department, which put up a security fence, lighting and surveillance to discourage further burglaries at the Bealsville complex, 5009 Nesmith Road.

Car washes, summer chicken and ribs dinners and a Halloween haunted house in the historic Glover School organized by parent volunteers have accounted for $6,000.

The Eagles' goal is to "acquire new equipment all at once for the 242 boys and 110 girls" in the program, Thomas said.

"New equipment has a life span of three to five years," said Wesley Joyce, Eagles equipment manager. "By acquiring new equipment all at one time you allow the program's concession stand time to recover and keep pace with replacement and maintenance. Our hope is to get to a point of being self reliant and not depending heavily on support from local businesses in years to come. Mosaic's contribution and support sends a clear message and inspires us as volunteers to press forward."

The organization still needs a $1,000 transmitter for a scoreboard that was stolen.

"Working scoreboards allow a team to host playoff games, thus increasing concession stand revenue," Thomas said. Also needed are a used or new industrial electric fryer and 35 more helmets and shoulder pads.

The program aims to provide a high-quality youth football and cheerleading program while teaching game fundamentals and values needed in life, according to the Eagles' website. It includes a fee-based summer camp and free monthly clinics from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Saturday monthly.

To donate or for information about the program, go to www.plantcityeagles.com.

Click here to order Kellen Winslow's proCane Rookie Card.



(tbo.com)