Friday, July 13, 2007
Atlanta
City Councilmember Ivory Lee Young Jr. to honor
Atlanta
native and NFL
player Leigh Torrence Jr. for outstanding community service
ATLANTA
–
Atlanta City Councilmember Ivory Lee Young, Jr. will present a proclamation on behalf of the City of
Atlanta
to
Washington
Redskins Cornerback Leigh Torrence, Jr. at 1:00 p.m. July 16th during the regularly scheduled City
Council meeting.
The Council meeting will take place at
Atlanta
City Hall
, Council Chamber,
55 Trinity Avenue, SW.
Prior to the proclamation presentation, a reception will be held in honor
of Torrence and the South West Atlanta
Youth Foundation in the Large Council Conference Room,
Suite
2900
, beginning at 12 Noon. Torrence founded the South
West Atlanta Youth Foundation as a way to mentor kids and assist
disadvantaged youth in southwest
Atlanta
realize their full potential.
Torrence
recently hosted 457 campers (including 100 cheerleading campers) at
Frederick
Douglass
High School
in
Southwest Atlanta
for the Second Annual 4th Down Fundamentals Football and
Cheerleading Camp. By partnering with the Police Athletic League and with
funding from the SWAY Foundation, Make
a Difference Foundation and the NFL, the campers enjoyed the day concentrating
on developing key football and cheerleading fundamentals while being introduced
to life skill concepts. They
received hands on guidance from 12 NFL players, including Atlanta Falcons Alge
Crumpler, Stage Ready cheerleading group, a number of knowledgeable coaches, and
more than 100 volunteers!
"It was
great to see so many members of our community come out in support of this
event,” said Torrence. “Our youth need programs like this and I am grateful
to have been able to play a role in making it happen. This event has reaffirmed
my belief that we can make a positive impact on our community and that with a
little push in the right direction, great things can happen."
South
West Atlanta Youth Foundation
provides funding and resources for other innovative youth development
initiatives throughout
Atlanta
.
“It’s important that we recognize Mr. Leigh Torrence for his
outstanding service to the community and for his commitment to our youth,”
said Councilman Young. “
Atlanta
is fortunate to have athletes like him who are dedicated to giving back to
their community.”
An
Atlanta
native, Torrence attended International Preparatory Institute and St. Anthony
Catholic School in the
West End
. In 2005, Leigh signed with the Green Bay Packers and was later acquired
by the Atlanta Falcons. He was signed last year by the Washington Redskins.
Additional guests at
Monday’s reception and proclamation presentation will include:
- Cecilia
Houston-Torrence of the South
West Atlanta
Youth Foundation
- Lamar
Scott, SWAY Foundation
- Yvonne
Ash, SWAY Foundation
- Lisa
Baker, SWAY Foundation
- Tari
Linnear, SWAY Foundation
- Donovan
Quary, Make a Difference Foundation
- Sharon
Quary, Make a Difference Foundation
- Howard
Lemons, Make a Difference Foundation
- Jean
Brannan, Sickle Cell Foundation of
Georgia
- Pat
Sims, Chris Draft Family Foundation
- Chris
Draft,
St. Louis
Rams
- Eric
Wilson,
Atlanta
School Board
- Marilyn
Jennings, Publicist
- Sylvia
Williams, community resident
- Dorothy
Shaw, community resident
For
more information, please call Councilman Young’s office at (404) 330-6046.