NFL Safety Chris Hope Visits School to Congratulate Students

Last Monday night on the national stage, NFL All-Pro Safety Chris Hope had the game of his dreams. After weeks of waiting for that first interception of the season, Chris doubled his dreams by having the first “two-interception” game of his career, facing off against Peyton Manning in the seventh Titans win of the season, a 31-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.

The next morning, instead of celebrating the team’s 7-0 success, Chris was at Page High School in Franklin, Tennessee, to congratulate the students on their fundraising achievements for Soles4Souls. As a Soles4Souls Spokesperson, Chris attended their “Barefoot Day”, a pep rally where the students assembled on the football field after leaving their “gently used” shoes on the field as a donation to the charity.

The excitement of Chris attending the pep rally was overwhelming as the students passed by him to donate their shoes. Once students were assembled on the bleachers, Chris took the microphone, asking how many of them had watched the game the night before. The stands erupted in cheers and high fives. Chris then talked about the Soles4Souls mission and reiterated that there are 300 million children in the world who have never owned a pair of shoes, while almost the same number of shoes are tossed into American landfills each year.

Chris thanked the students for their support of the non-profit and praised them for taking their time to help the needy in our community. He ended his talk by asking the students to give their best “Go Titans” cheer on his count of three. The roar was deafening, earning the students a winning “Chris Hope” smile that rivaled the smile on his face following his Monday night interceptions.

The Soles4Souls “Barefoot Day” culminated a month-long series of events and programs hosted by DECA (Distributive Education Clubs of America) at Page High school to raise funds for and bring awareness to those in need. The Soles4Souls program provides an innovative alternative to traditional fundraisers, so students are able to raise money for their school group while making a significant difference in the lives of others.

Chris Hope, in addition to donating his time and support to Soles4Souls, donates $100.00 for each tackle and he uses his weekly Monday night radio show on 106.7, The Fan, an ESPN affiliate, to promote the cause. He recently donated $8,000.00 to Soles4Souls for his success on the field for the 2007 season. The 2008 season already looks to be a good one for the charity and for the Titans.