08 LC 95 0418
House Resolution 1289
By: Representative Abdul-Salaam of the 74th

Recognizing and commending Mr. Chris Draft and inviting him to appear before the House of Representatives; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, Mr. Chris Draft was born February 26, 1976, in Salina, Kansas; and
WHEREAS, St. Louis Rams linebacker and former Atlanta Falcon, Chris Draft, has been selected as a JB Award recipient, an annual honor
bestowed upon 12 active NFL players in recognition of their off-field contributions in building better communities and stronger families; and
WHEREAS, as a winner of a JB Award, Mr. Draft is automatically a finalist for the Byron "Whizzer" White Award, an award named in honor of former NFL player and Supreme Court Justice Byron White; and
WHEREAS, to many young people in Clayton County, this vigorous footballer brings that same drive and determination to his community's activities and has proven himself to be a genuine hero; and
WHEREAS, he first came to Clayton County in 2004, following the death of Travon Wilson, a four year-old boy gunned down in a public park by 18 gang members, and asked how he could help; and
WHEREAS, at that time there was a vital need for recreation and youth centers in Clayton County; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Draft and "Big George", an Atlanta Falcons Coach, came and addressed the Clayton County Board of Commissioners about the
need for quality recreational programs for the youth, and they also pledged to come back and bring programs for the children if recreation centers were built; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Draft believes that the answer to fighting violence and fighting negativity is saying "We don̓t accept that. We won̓t accept it."; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Draft has been involved with countless other community initiatives ranging from character education to health, nutrition, and fitness, and he has worked with the Clayton Village Anti-Violence Task Force, Raising Up Leaders, the NFL/YET Center, Awesome, Inc., and other youth programs in the community; and
WHEREAS, since the meeting with the county commissioners, he has more than made good on his promise, as evidenced during the summer of
2007 when he and the Chris Draft Family Foundation sponsored over 60 youth for the NFL/YET Center in downtown Atlanta, providing transportation and registration fees for the attendees; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Draft brought 12 NFL players to the Virginia Gray Recreation Center in Clayton County to participate in the annual Peace & Unity Block Party, sponsored by Representative Roberta Abdul-Salaam, the Clayton Village, and the Riverdale Technical College Foundation, and he and the NFL players worked with over 2,000 participants with character building exercises, fitness training, and football drills; and
WHEREAS, after viewing a screening of the movie The Great Debaters, he got the idea to show the movie around the country, inviting high  school students to view the movie, discuss their thoughts and perceptions about the movie with local leaders who were invited to participate, and write an essay to be entered in a essay competition; and
WHEREAS, it is only fitting and proper that we recognize the outstanding contributions Mr. Draft has made to young people, Georgia communities, and the state.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize Mr. Chris Draft,
commend him for his numerous outstanding contributions to young people, Georgia communities, and this state, and invite him to appear before this body on a date and at a time designated by the Speaker of the House for the purposes of being recognized by the House and receiving an appropriate copy of this resolution.