Page 27 - bon-dia-aruba-20200924

A27
u.s. news Diahuebs 24 september 2020

Former NFL players getting out the vote in communities

(AP)- While 14 NFL fran-
chises are using their stadi-
ums in the voting process,
former players such as Hall
of Famer Will Shields are go-
ing into communities to help
with registrations and mail-
in ballots.

Shields, who received the
league's Walter Payton Man
of the Year award in 2003 and
was a member of the 2000s
All-Decade Team, recogniz-
es the importance of “doing
your part.”
Through his Will To Succeed
Foundation, partnering with
the Black Archives Youth
Coalition Network, Shields
held a get out the vote event
Tuesday at the Black Archives
of Mid-America in Kansas
City, Missouri. Other such
initiatives are planned for the
Kansas side of the city and in
more communities heading
toward the Nov. 3 elections.

Tuesday was the first day
in Missouri when citizens
could vote, using ballots they
could take to Union Station
and cast. “We had a registra- has similar plans for this fall who risked it all for others know about voting and gov-
tion set up at Black Archives “We even had a van set up for during the coronavirus pan- to be able to vote. Should ernment.
where people who needed to those who had pre-registered demic. we be having a conversation “Social media can be a great
change addresses or needed a so they could go to (Union wrapped around that in 2020? tool, it sure can. A lot of
notary or needed to register Station) to cast their vote.” “We ended up taking a lot of How is it not a no-brainer for times we see that social me-
could do so,” Shields says. Shields and two other for- seniors that absolutely want- everyone to have the ability dia can be used for very divi-
"To make sure everything was mer players — Chester Pitts ed to go vote — and we were to go vote? sive things.
done and proper. We're try- and Steven Jackson — who more than happy to drive
ing to make it easy for people are involved in “boots on the them in the van or bus. It was “I own a school bus for my But if you have people who
to vote and do it for free so ground” programs stress the like a shuttle service going residential treatment center want to learn, with curi-
they don't have to go through need to provide all sorts of back and forth,” Pitts says. for young girls ... and will ous minds, — and let’s say
any hoops. “We just want to services to help people vote. “We have had some discus- use my bus — and really for they have favorite athletes,
make sure everybody gets an In the Austin, Texas, area sions of social distancing on anybody who needs a ride to and those athletes shared on
opportunity to cast their vote Pitts, who played nine pro a bus and wearing masks, but get to vote, we will get a ride social media what they are
and everyone can be saying, seasons as a guard and tackle, when you are talking about a for them. We are licensed to doing in their community
'Hey I actually did my part, has been directly involved in population at a much higher visit other facilities, senior fa- — those things are powerful
to get my say in and be part getting out the vote for years. risk for COVID-19, should cilities. We will make sure we for getting out the word. If
of the community,' and mak- Often, he has chartered a bus you really have to risk it all have all the rules and under- you put a jacket on it, those
ing sure they had time and a and helped the elderly get to have to go vote? There stand the same rules as public are things I like to be a part
place to do it. to their polling places. He are a whole lot of people buses have. If there is a way of.” Jackson, Pitts and Shields
to help someone to get to are encouraged to see cur-
exercise their public right to rent players getting out the
vote, we will do that.” Natu- vote, too. They believe the
rally, the pandemic has placed platform of any professional
obstacles in the way of, well, athlete should be directed
everything. Actually getting primarily toward community
into the community physi- service.
cally is a challenge.
Jackson, a Pro Bowl run- One of those active play-
ning back for the Rams who ers, Titans tight end MyCole
played 12 NFL seasons, finds Pruitt, stresses that voting is
value in social media for "the first step we have to take
reaching the public — par- in fixing things. Obviously,
ticularly youths. there’s no quick fix, there’s
“It is powerful as a retired no instant fix. Some of these
guy to see what has been hap- ideologies have been around
pening,” he says. "I thought I for 400-plus years, and that’s
was bringing light in the St. something that’s hard to just
Louis community because I easily fix. “But if we take that
was active there for so long. first step,” he adds, “and go
But I also know we have out and vote, hopefully we
so far to go, and how these can make this place a better
young people have social me- place for our children and the
dia and how they can learn so future.”
much of what they need to