Several Gator football players stop by Salvation Army to serve meals to homeless Tuesday
Tuesday, July 26, 2011 | Football, Scott Carter
On Friday night at The Swamp, the Gators football team is holding its Fourth Annual Gator Charity Challenge to benefit the local chapter of the Salvation Army.
The event is free and open to the public and fans are encouraged to bring supplies to donate to needy families and homeless people in Alachua County.
Several Gators spent part of Tuesday afternoon at the Salvation Army doing their part by filling food bags to donate and serving a meal to approximately 75 homeless folks who lined up outside on a muggy afternoon for what was likely their only meal of the day.
While Trey Burton, Jeff Driskel, Mack Brown and Deandre Goins filled brown paper bags with cans of green beans, fruit and other foods, Cody Riggs, Jonotthan Harrison, Jelani Jenkins and Chaz Green helped “Chef Doug'' prepare the food in the kitchen.
Soon, the line outside started pouring into the cafeteria where Jenkins served bread, Green dished cooked apples and Harrison spooned pasta onto paper plates.
“We're having fun and enjoying ourselves and serving the community,'' Jenkins said. “Harrison is over here talking a lot of trash about how he can cook in the kitchen. It's not all about football. It's about how you can impact peoples lives.
“A lot of people out there are hungry and we're just trying to help them out, make sure that they have something to eat. We're over here smiling trying to get them smiling even though times might be a little rough. That's what we're here for.''
Once they finished filling the bags with food, Burton and Driskel moved over to the cafeteria to hand the plates of food to the men and women in line.
Burton is a regular at Gator charity events and has been volunteering since he was a kid growing up in Venice.
“It makes me feel real good,'' Burton said. “We can make someone's day. I love doing stuff like this. It's like two hours out of the day and it's making someone's day, making someone's week.''
Salvation Army corps officer Preston Lewis hopes the event becomes a regular stop on the Florida football team's charity circuit. While the rain cut down some on the crowd at Tuesday's event, Lewis said the local chapter usually serves between 120 and 140 meals a day Monday through Friday, filling a real need in the community.
Having the Gators help out Tuesday made a difference.
“This is a big day for us,'' Lewis said. “Volunteers are hard to find. There is always an opportunity for anyone in our community to come out and help. We have a really inordinate amount of homeless people in our community.
“There is a lot of need here.''
