Patrick Willis trains kids how to safely get to school: Insert tackling joke here...

by David Fucillo on Oct 1, 2009 1:00 PM PDT in San Francisco 49ers News

Tuesdays are normally off-days for NFL players. The coaches are busy getting ready for the next opponent, but players get the day to do more or less what they want (injured players will of course come in for treatment). A lot of players use this day to take part in charitable community activities, which is the focus of today's post.

On Tuesday Patrick Willis visited Fair Oaks Elementary School in Redwood City to "coach" a pedestrian safety clinic and teach students about safe ways to walk to school. Bamm Bamm's visit to the school was part of the FedEx Air & Ground Players of the Week program, which encourages NFL fans to vote for outstanding Air & Ground players throughout the season, to benefit pedestrian safety programs nationwide. Willis also helped FedEx announce a $10,000 donation to the Safe Kids Santa Clara/San Mateo County coalition, for pedestrian safety improvements around the school.

I received notice of this from Fedex and the NFL and they were kind enough to provide some photos of the event. The pictures include Patrick and the kids learning about crosswalk safety, trying on bike helmets for a fitting, playing an interactive safety game (the one with the bean bag in the air), and Patrick signing a student’s t-shirt as the other students are behind them learning about driver’s blind spots in the FedEx truck, among others.

Willis helping a kid cross the crosswalk

Willis observing the kids crossing the crosswalk

Patrick trying on a safety helmet

Taking part in a beanbage toss

Bamm Bamm signing an autograph

Willis meeting the kids

School picture with Patrick Willis

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Comments

This guy is so cool he’s a hero on and off the field.

by japanesezero on Oct 1, 2009 1:23 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

Class act

So glad we have a player like Willis

by Drew Kerr on Oct 1, 2009 1:32 PM PDT reply actions

Brad Smith must have missed this training

Because he sure as hell did not safely get to school…

Win the inning.

by Scooter Ellis on Oct 1, 2009 1:46 PM PDT reply actions

theres a "look both ways before crossing the street" joke involving hasselbeck here...

but its been a long week and ive lost the ability to think…

by Rep the Bay on Oct 1, 2009 2:13 PM PDT up reply actions

1+

“but its been a long week and ive lost the ability to think…”

hahaha… This happens to me virtually every week, so I can empathize…

by Waiting4JoshMorgan on Oct 1, 2009 7:23 PM PDT up reply actions

Glad the Niners have a "face" that they can put out to the public

Also wanted to mention that I was pleasantly surprised when I purchased a Blackberry earlier this week. I needed it for practical things like keepign my life organized, but the fun features like NFL Mobile Live were nice.

Imagine my surprise when I scrolled over to the Niners page and saw that some of the news feed/game previews came from none other than Niners Nation! Maybe everyone else here knew that you were on there… but I sure didn’t. Well done old chap, well done indeed.

Of course its difficult, its a shortcut... if it was easy it'd just be "the way."

by chirop1 on Oct 1, 2009 2:21 PM PDT reply actions