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Arizona Cardinals 4th of July heroes: Kurt Warner
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Mark Humphrey / AP
The words selflessness, altruism, and charity mean something important to most people, but no one Cardinals player (and maybe NFL player, for that matter) takes those words more seriously than Kurt Warner. He and his wife, Brenda, have created a charitable kingdom, with numerous organizations, events, and programs to help teach upstanding Christian values and give as much as possible to those less fortunate.
An entire book could be written on Warner's life, and in fact, there are two: "All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football, and the First Miracle Season," about Warner's incredible leap into football stardom, and "First Things First: The Rules of Being a Warner," a book more about Warner's personal life and putting faith first, which was released just last month (Kurt and his wife Brenda are currently on a book-signing tour - click for the dates, times, and locations).
Instead of rattling off a long story you've probably already heard about Kurt's impossible climb to football fame, I'm going to let his efforts since 2001 speak for themselves. 2001 was the year Kurt and Brenda began the First Things First Foundation (hence the title to their newest book).
Here's a list of some of the things the First Things First Foundation does all over the country (though mostly in Arizona, Missouri, New York, and Iowa):
We're Going to Disney World - In partnership with American Airlines, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Dream Factory, and Give Kids the World, this program gives kids with debilitating and life-threatening illnesses the chance to enjoy the magic of Disney World.
Ticket Program - Underprivileged kids take part in community service in the name of different youth ministries and are rewarded with meet-and-greets with Kurt himself, memorabilia and apparel to wear to Cardinal games, and tickets to those games.
Homes for the Holidays - This program was started in 1997 by Warrick Dunn in Tampa, FL and has been continued by First Things First. Single parents that qualify are given help with a down payment for their first home and in association with Aaron Rents, Inc. are given new amenities for the new home as a surprise.
Warners' Warm-up - Once a one-day winter coat drive, this is now a two-week long coat drive throughout the entire St. Louis Metro area. To date, over 75,000 coats have been donated.
America's Team Ball Drive - Wal-Mart stores act as drop-off locations for gently used sports equipment that are ultimately shipped oversees to our troops. This year will be its third run.
Children's Hospital Outreach - Kurt and Brenda visit hospitals whenever they can with baskets from Basket of Hope and blankets from Hugs for Kids.
Warner's Corner Fun Zones - Because children with debilitating diseases spend so much time in hospitals, Warner's Corner Fun Zones are designed to give those kids a break from the medical areas and give them a fun and safe place to play. These Zones are in St. Louis and Iowa presently.
Warner's Team F.U.N. - Fundamentals U Need is a program designed to give impressionable youths the right life lessons they need, helping them to achieve good grades and make healthy choices. At the end of the program, the children are rewarded with an exciting trip, like a dining experience at a very high-end restaurant or a Broadway performance.
Special Olympics P.P.K. - This is the Punt, Pass, and Kick competition for Special Olympics participants. This has grown to involve Phoenix, St. Louis, and Cedar Rapids.
CHEER - Consciousness Helps Encourage Equal Respect is a program to teach "normal" teens what it would be like to have a disability. They spend time in wheel chairs, wearing goggles to show varying degrees of blindness, or having to be non-verbal.
Holiday Outreach - Over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, First Things First ramps up all of their charitable efforts to help those in need.
Mission: Possible! - First Things First rewards college-bound kids who take part in missions all over the world with scholarships to their college of choice. Up to 50 $1,000 scholarships are awarded each year.
Good Sports Gang - This is actually a very cool animation series of DVD's and video tapes for children ages 4-8. Kurt sends a band of sports superheroes on missions to do good throughout the Sportsdom of FairField (I know, awesome, right?). Check out the Good Sports Gang Series.
Ultimate Football Experience - This is a chance for Cardinals fans from the corporate world to play against real NFL stars. Players like Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Ken Whisenhunt play against real fans for a day full of hilarity.
And...Done. Phew. I think that does all the talking that's necessary. I'm surprised this guy even has time for working out, learning new plays, and a book-signing tour on top of it all. But I'll tell you what, I'm definitely proud to be associated with an organization that calls Kurt Warner its field general.
Thanks Kurt, from all Arizona Cardinal fans. You are a true Cardinals hero.
You can read more about the First Things First Foundation and all of the above programs on the First Things First website.
Other 4th of July Special Edition Articles:
Another Arizona Cardinals 4th of July hero: The fans
Another couple Kurt Warner links for you to enjoy:
Kurt Warner and his wife release new book and go on book tour
Vote for Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald for ESPN's ESPY Awards
And a few links about what to watch for throughout training camp:
Part I - Rookie Development
Part II - Ongoing Contract Negotiations
Part III - The Offensive Line
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