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2018 SESSION

18107601D
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 441
Offered March 1, 2018
Commending Christopher Howard Long.
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Patrons-- Toscano; Senator: Deeds
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WHEREAS, Christopher Howard Long, a defensive end on the Philadelphia Eagles, received the 2018 Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP award for donating his entire salary during the 2017 National Football League season to charitable causes; and

WHEREAS, the Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP award is the highest honor presented by the National Football League (NFL) Players Association to recognize players who have had a positive impact on their team’s city or communities throughout the nation; as the recipient of the award, Christopher “Chris” Howard Long received a $100,000 charitable contribution for the Chris Long Foundation; and

WHEREAS, Chris Long has strong roots in Virginia, having attended St. Anne’s-Belfield School in Charlottesville and played football at the University of Virginia, where he was named team captain and became the first active player to have his jersey number retired; and

WHEREAS, Chris Long was drafted by the St. Louis Rams as the second overall pick in the 2008 NFL Draft and followed in his father Howie Long’s footsteps as a professional football player; he played with the Rams until 2015, helped the New England Patriots win Super Bowl LI in 2016, and joined the Philadelphia Eagles in 2017; and

WHEREAS, during the 2017 season, which ended with the Eagles’ victory in Super Bowl LII, Chris Long donated his first six game checks toward funding a scholarship program at St. Anne’s-Belfield School to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia; and

WHEREAS, hoping to do more to promote educational equality for underserved students, Chris Long donated his remaining 10 game checks to students in Philadelphia, Boston, and St. Louis and established the Pledge 10 for Tomorrow campaign to encourage individuals and businesses to make similar donations, ultimately raising more than $1.3 million; and

WHEREAS, Chris Long has supported many other charitable causes through the Chris Long Foundation, including the Waterboys program, which has helped provide clean water to more than 120,000 people in Tanzania by raising more than $1.7 million and building more than 32 clean water wells; the Waterboys program also gives NFL players and military combat veterans the opportunity to continue their commitment to service and bettering communities by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and raising funds to build sustainable water wells; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Christopher Howard Long on receiving the 2018 Byron “Whizzer” White Community MVP award; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Christopher Howard Long as an expression of the General Assembly’s admiration for his incredible generosity and work to support students throughout the Commonwealth and the world.