Over 250 "Littles" and "Bigs" Attended Meet and Greet and Football Clinic with Mike Alstott
(l-r) Big Brother Bob Buchanan, Little Brother Gary and Mike Alstott LARGO - The Mike Alstott Family Foundation recently sponsored the second annual "Mike Alstott Family Foundation Sports Buddies Day," hosted at Tropicana Field by the Tampa Bay Rays. Sports Buddies, a program of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Pinellas County and Tampa Bay agencies, is a mentoring program in which adult mentors are paired with "at-risk" youth. For the second consecutive year Mike Alstott met with more than 250 "Littles" and "Bigs" as an opportunity for matches to have a memorable sports activity. The football clinic included a meet and greet, autographs and football activities with Alstott. Mike Alstott played with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for 12 years gaining a leader status and breaking records in many categories. Off the field Alstott takes his job as a community servant just as seriously, thus forming the Mike Alstott Family Foundation. The Foundation's mission is to uplift the minds, hearts and spirits of families and children on their way to realizing their full potential through various events, assistance programs and celebrations. Mike felt that this mission tied in perfectly to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Sports Buddies Program. "I think the Sports Buddies program is a natural fit," Alstott says. "I love kids and I love sports, and what better way to combine them but in a way that allows the children to be mentored by a "Big" as they are enjoying playing and watching sports. It is an honor to be able to help." Sports Buddies provides opportunities for adults to help build friendships and model good sportsmanship while giving children the chance to experience sporting and recreational events that were once out of reach. The program encourages "Bigs" to meet each month with their "Littles" to play a sport and/or to watch a sporting event. The Mike Alstott Family Foundation Sports Buddies Day event partners include: the Mike Alstott Family Foundation and the Tampa Bay Rays. In addition, these community leaders also partnered on the St. Petersburg Bowl held December 19. All "Bigs" and "Littles" present today received tickets to the St. Petersburg Bowl. Mike Alstott currently serves as the Honorary Chair for the Bowl held at Tropicana Field.
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