Avenger double days
January 31, 2006 - Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Los Angeles Avengers News Release
LOS ANGELES - Even though it is their day off, Avenger players regularly take part in "Double Days" ... the team's community outreach program that makes a pair of visits to schools and/or hospitals on either Monday or Tuesday each week.
This week, quarterback Sonny Cumbie and offensive/defensive lineman Charles Howard spent the first part of their day off visiting with the veterans at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in Los Angeles on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Later in the day, Cumbie and Howard visited with the children at the Shriners Hospital For Children, also in Los Angeles.
"Visiting with the veterans and the kids today puts everything in perspective for me and that there are a lot more important things than football," Cumbie said. "Giving back to the community is something I will always have time to do."
At the two hospitals, Cumbie and Howard took the opportunity to visit the rooms of various patients throughout the hospitals, sign autographs and took pictures with the patients.
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) was established on March 15, 1989, succeeding the Veterans Administration. It is responsible for providing federal benefits to veterans and their families. Headed by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, VA is the second largest of the 15 Cabinet departments and operates nationwide programs for health care, financial assistance and burial benefits.
Of the 24.8 million veterans currently alive, nearly three-quarters served during a war or an official period of conflict. About a quarter of the nation's population, approximately 63 million people, are potentially eligible for VA benefits and services because they are veterans, family members or survivors of veterans.
The responsibility to care for veterans, spouses, survivors and dependents can last a long time. The last dependent of a Revolutionary War veteran died in 1911. Five children of Civil War veterans still draw VA benefits. About 440 children and widows of Spanish-American War veterans still receive VA compensation or pensions.
For more information on Veterans Affairs please call (800) 827-1000 or visit their official website at http://www.va.gov/.
Shriners Hospital for Children first opened in 1952 and during its history has assisted in providing life changing medical and surgical services to more than 36,000 children. All medical care has been and continues to be provided completely free of charge to children and their families.
For more information on Shriners Hospital for Children please call (213) 388-3151 or visit its official website at www.shrinershq.org/shc/losangeles.
The Avengers are in their seventh season in the 20-year-old AFL. The Avengers travel to Philadelphia to play the Soul on Sunday, Feb. 5. The game will be televised on NBC 4 at 10 a.m. (Pacific). Please call 1-888-AVENGERS for more information or visit the team's official Website at www.laavengers.com.
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