Community
Development

Yesterday was a perfectly pristine, sun-filled paradise day in Grand Junction, Colo., as our organization officially unveiled the newly refurbished Stocker Stadium, home to the 4-0 football team from Mesa State College, four high schools on the Western Slope and over 1,000 youth players from the Mesa County Youth Football Association.

President/CEO Pat Bowlen arrived shortly before 12 noon along with vice president of public relations Jim Saccomano and four of our players — Domonique Foxworth, Nick Ferguson, Daniel Graham and Brandon Marshall – to particpate in the program, cut the ribbon and meet these young aspiring NFL players who use Stocker Stadium (just over 40 games a year are played on this new field and we are so glad that it is now turf and not grass to combat the wear and tear).

One of the real highlights was the marching band from one of the local high schools performing the national anthem to start the day’s festivities.  The Grand Junction community really pulled out all the stops with blue and orange snow cones, Broncos Country flags, orange pom-poms in the stands and a beautiful new granite marker at the flagpole that highlights the collaboration of the Denver Broncos, the NFL and the Grand Junction community on this field project.

It was a real privilege to bring our commitment to youth football to Grand Junction and we look forward to visiting again … Grand Junction is definitely BRONCOS COUNTRY!

Three a.m. came very early this morning and I have a brand new appreciation for the folks who broadcast live radio and live television during the early morning rush hour.

Upon arriving at our Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club in Montbello 45 minutes later, I was greeted by Rich Barrows, our club director who is a rock star and had spent endless hours overnight making our club absolutely pristine in preparation for our live radio remote today with partner News Radio 850 KOA benefitting the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center legacy project.

At 4:45 a.m., in walks Guy Johnson, a regular Club member and future member of the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center. Guy has become friends with Rod Smith over the past couple of years and his mentor is clearly rubbing off as Guy can be seen often in the end zone. Might I say that I was very touched that Guy was ready to go and support Darrent’s legacy bright and early this morning.

Shortly after, at 5:20 a.m., in walks Broncos linebacker Louis Green and he could not have been more gracious and more focused on our goal at hand — to raise awareness for the Teen Center and thank our community fans. Thank you, Louis.

Once the hour of 6 a.m. rolled around, the Club was just in a frenzy with wonderful community members, kids and so many of our Broncos players on hand that it appeared as though the entire roster came out in honor of Darrent Williams.

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Wow!  What a game on Sunday!!  It is so exciting to come away from such a close, road game with a win and what a great way to start out the season!  Go Broncos!

Now that the regular season is officially underway, we have some more exciting news to share.  Next Tuesday, September 18th from 5am-9am KOA will be broadcasting their morning radio show live from the future site of the Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center (just adjacent to the Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club) in Montbello as a kickoff event for the new Teen Center.

We will be inviting the community to have stop by and have breakfast with us, the KOA crew and a handful of Broncos players who will be on-air all morning long!  Broncos players and Ring of Fame Member Billy Thompson will be on hand to talk about the future Teen Center and discuss the positive impact it will have on the youth of the Montbello community.  Teen members from the Club will be featured and will provide their hopes and goals for their new Teen Center.  Community members interested in supporting the project can visit:

www.positiveplacedenver.org/ (Click on the DONATE tab)

The Darrent Williams Memorial Teen Center is the long-lasting and impactful way the Denver Broncos have chosen to memorialize Darrent’s legacy and provide positive alternatives to young people.  The Teen Center will be open in early 2008 and host teenage members of the Denver Broncos Boys and Girls Club providing them with a space to learn, socialize and call their own while addressing the over-crowding issues currently plaguing the existing Club.

Stay tuned to DenverBroncos.com and KOA for more information–we look forward to seeing or hearing from you all next Tuesday!

I had the privilege this morning to meet Mike and Julie Leach and their 19-month old son Ryan, over at the pediatric and NICU (newborn intensive care unit) wings of  Health ONE’s Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center, where they started a monthly visitation program for the kids there.

Mike and Julie were just terrific in their kind ways with the kids.  Their first little patient, a young boy, was a die-hard fan of the San Diego Chargers – specifically of LaDainian Tomlinson.  Mike asked the young boy if he wanted him to say anything to LT when the Broncos play the Chargers in a few weeks and he thought that “not being too hard on the Broncos” would be a good start.

Young Ryan Leach should not be overlooked in this effort, as he took his job of delivering plush Broncos Beanie Bears from his shopping cart to each young patient very seriously.  Kudos, Ryan.  You will make a great big brother!

The Leaches are one classy couple and their commitment to these kids at PSL is just awesome  … mentoring community service to their own young son is equally admirable!

Many thanks also go out to Linda Kanamine, VP of Public Affairs/Marketing at Health ONE and George Abbott, Director of Public Affairs for Presbyterian/St. Luke’s Medical Center for supporting our organization and to Mike and Julie Leach in making this wonderful program possible.