BULLS FOOTBALL BUILDS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOME

[Brad]

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA BULLS FOOTBALL PLAYERS BUILD TEAM SPIRIT WHILE BUILDING HABITAT FOR HUMANITY HOME WITH HOMEBANC

TAMPA BAY, FLA. - JUNE 1, 2004 - On Saturday June 5, about 25 University of South Florida Bulls football players will put down their helmets and footballs and pick up hammers, power drills and other tools to work with Habitat for Humanity and HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. fulfilling the dream of home ownership for a Tampa Bay area family.

On June 5, the players will gather at 5712 Camp Street in Wimauma (see directions below) and work on the house.  HomeBanc Mortgage Corp. will also provide volunteers that day and The HomeBanc Foundation is the financial sponsor of the one-day project.  The build will start around 9 a.m. and end around 3 p.m.

Bulls head football coach Jim Leavitt, who is scheduled to work with his players on the house, wanted to pursue a community project this year to create an additional team building experience for his players and to help them appreciate the value of giving back to the community.

“I know our players will gain a lot personally from seeing their efforts result in a new home for a deserving Habitat family,” he said.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“And what they learn from this experience will add to the lessons in team work and reaching for big goals that we teach on the field.”

Leavitt was familiar with HomeBanc through several USF alumni connections and approached the company to partner on the project.

“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to work with Coach Leavitt and his staff and players,” said HomeBanc Central Florida Vice President Joe Wessel, himself a former college and pro football coach.  Ã¢â‚¬Å“Coach Leavitt, the other coaches and all the players have been very enthusiastic about this project from the beginning and we’re looking forward to a very successful day.  Football teaches leadership, and part of leadership is serving others and giving back.  The lessons from that day will stay with these young men long after the house is completed.”

Habitat for Humanity has built more than 150,000 houses around the world, providing more than 750,000 people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter.  The organization was founded in 1976 by Millard Fuller along with his wife Linda

Through volunteer labor and donations of money and materials, Habitat builds and rehabilitates simple, decent houses with the help of the homeowner families.  Habitat houses are sold to partner families at no profit and financed with affordable, no-interest loans.  In addition to a down payment and the monthly mortgage payments, Habitat homeowners invest hundreds of hours of their own labor into building their Habitat house and the houses of others.

Habitat is one of HomeBanc’s primary corporate charities.  To date, HomeBanc volunteers have worked on and The HomeBanc Foundation has helped fund the construction of 22 Habitat homes in Georgia and Florida.

For more information about Habitat for Humanity, visit the organization on-line at www.habitat.org <http://www.habitat.org>.

For more information about USF Athletics, visit www.GoUSFBulls.com

For more information about HomeBanc, visit the company on-line at www.homebanc.com <http://www.homebanc.com>.

Directions:

·       Take 75 South to the 674 East Exit

·       Travel on 674 East for approximately five miles, through Sun City Center and crossing over U.S. 301

·       Turn right onto 5th Street (just past Ana’s Restaurant).

·       Take first right onto Camp Street.

·       5712 is on the corner of 5th and Camp streets.

A list of USF players who will participate will be available Wednessday...

[Ricky the Bull]

This sounds great and all... but I get this picture of a WR whacking his finger with a hammer or an OL dropping a cinder block on his foot.   I'm sure they'll do fine and am glad they're doing it, however.

Since they gave directions, are they implying that they need more help?  

[E.T.]

This is great and hope the local T.V. media puts some coverage ... gonna send my emails today !

While those players are hammering away ... I plan to do some similiar "hammering" later that day   Basicly a romantic, but my vulgar side comes out sometimes, I actually watched "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days"a few nights ago with the future Mrs. E.T. and enjoyed it  

Go BULLS !!!

[goodknightfl]

cool ... they should call it the pigskin house...LOL... nice gesture though..

[Brad]

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

As indicated yesterday, USF Football will be involved in building a Habitat for Humanity House this Saturday (details below). Roughly 50 players will participate, including captains Lee Roy Selmon Jr., Alex Herron and Derrick Sarosi. Jim Leavitt will participate as well.

[TyBull]

Again, makes me PROUD to be a BULL..........

[bulls96go]

this is the type of stuff that will help build the image

hope they do this anually and involve all of usf AD dept

great gesture, free positive press

do other programs do this?

[smazza]

very nice

[bullwark]

Channel 38 did a nice piece on the 10 o'clock news last night, interviewing the coach and a couple of the players during construction of the home.