Broncos’ Players Staying Active in Community

During an NFL offseason, players get a short period of time to rest their bodies before it’s back to the grind and preparing for the upcoming season.  The Denver Broncos will get back to work tomorrow when the team begins voluntary offseason workouts.

For many players in Denver, the offseason is more than just a time to prepare for the next season, but also a time to get involved in the community.  Below are a few of the things players in Denver have organized to benefit the community this month and beyond:

• Last Tuesday, Broncos veteran defensive linemen Robert Ayers and Kevin Vickerson visited Katie Walsh — who was recovering from a procedure that she underwent the day before – at her hospital room at Rocky Mountain Hospital for Children.  You can read about the visit at DenverBroncos.com.

• Third-year wide receiver Eric Decker has teamed up with PopChips to chip into a local Denver charity.  Decker will choose from a suggested charity submitted on PopChips‘ website.  [Info]

• Cornerback Cassius Vaughn will be hosting a Softball Tournament in Windsor on April 28th to benefit the America Cancer Society.  [Info]  

• Special teams caption and linebacker Wesley Woodyard has a foundation, 16Ways, which recognizes an emotional need for at-risk youth — and helps them achieve their highest possible academic and social respective levels, with the intent to become productive, contributing members of society.  [Website]

• Second-year safety Quinton Carter also has a foundation, SOUL, whose goal is to serve communities in providing opportunities for personal and professional development for growth and change.  Carter recently returned from a trip to Africa in which a group of NFL players and celebrities participated in an effort to dig water wells and provide hearing aids to those in need.  [Website]

• Starting offensive tackle Orlando Franklin‘s foundation, Orlando Franklin Foundation, non-profit organization, whose mission is to provide support to disadvantaged youth through hands on educational programming, with a focus on incarcerated youth and those within the foster care system.  [Website]

• Starting offensive guard Chris Kuper is hosting a pancake breakfast on April 28th as a fundraiser for Cakes for Cancer, Beadles’ program to support Brent’s Place, an organization that provides housing for families of children going through cancer treatments.  [Info]

• Broncos long snapper Lonie Paxton is hosting a draft-day bowling party to benefit the Active Force Foundation, which supports wounded veterans and athletes on April 26th.  [Info]

The players are to be commended for their participation in community events.  They truly are a good bunch of men.  Be sure to get involved in any of the events you can!