VIRGINIA BEACH, VA (WTKR)- Football is a common bond shared by many young people. Unfortunately, there's another commonality many kids share in Virginia Beach of a more serious nature.
"Sheriff Holcomb came to us," said Nick Curtis, captain of the Virginia Beach Law Enforcement Training Academy. "He found out that roughly 50 percent of Beach school kids can't afford to eat three meals a day."
"We thought that there would be something that we could do together to address a common goal, which is food insecurity, and having the chance to make sure that we can give back to those who are in need," added Robert Jamison, who is the Virginia Beach Schools Executive Director of Student Support Services.
Now the hope is that football will translate into food. A flag football game will kick off in Virginia Beach this Saturday to raise money for the Beach Bags program, which was implemented by the school system to provide shelf-stable meals and healthy snacks to those in need. The bags provide families with food for long weekends, holidays and the summer break. Public safety officials and teachers see the impact of food insecurity first hand, so this program means a little bit more to them.
"When you see that day in and day out and a way to give back to just take care of that basic need, we wanted to jump on it with this event," Jamison noted.
"When you can see the struggle that they're really going through, it means so much more to motivate us to get this done," pointed out Curtis. "When we see the need first hand, we know it has to get done and we're going to do everything we can."
Saturday, police officers, first responders teachers and more will kick off in the second annual Turkey Bowl to raise funds for the Beach Bags initiative. Team Public Safety will square off against Team Education.
"We don't talk too much trash," smiled Casey Conger, Virginia Beach Schools Health and Physical Education Coordinator. "We just try to keep it low key and we'll let it shine when we get out on the field."
"Last year it did get a little tense, but it's all in good fun," added Demetrius Taylor of the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office. "We do fully expect to go out there and win."
In the end, everybody wins. Last year, the Turkey Bowl raised nearly $5,000 and now a chance to score some points for a cause that's much more important than a game. Who better than those who spend each and every day helping others in their respective professions?
"We have to all work together to achieve a common goal," Curtis said. "When we get to come together in a football game and have fun, but still achieve that goal, it's immeasurable."
"We have a chance to just root for our community and bring ourselves together as a unified front," added Jamison. "Different teams in between the lines, but really just one unified team for this."
The Turkey Bowl kicks off at 11:00 AM Saturday at Kellam High School. News 3's Blaine Stewart and Marc Davis will be part of the event as referees. For more information on the Beach Bags program, click here.
