Bills notebook
Everett to get award at halftime
Former Buffalo Bills tight end Kevin Everett is scheduled to attend Sunday’s game and receive the George Halas Award from the Professional Football Writers of America.
The award is given to the NFL player who demonstrates courage and perseverance in overcoming the most adversity in the past season. Everett is the 39th winner of the honor and the first Bill to get it. It will be presented at halftime.
Past winners include Joe Namath, Dick Butkus, Gale Sayers, Roger Staubach, Dan Marino, Tony Dungy and Joe Montana. It is voted upon by the writers organization, which has 350 members nationwide.
Everett, who overcame the catastrophic injury to his spinal cord in last season’s opener, also is scheduled to make two other appearances in Western New York.
He will attend the Septemberfest celebration at Merritt Estate Winery in Forestville on Saturday evening. The event runs noon to 10 p. m. Saturday and noon to 6 p. m. Sunday. Everett will participate in a live auction and silent auction of memorabilia at 7:30 p. m. Saturday. Proceeds will benefit the Kevin Everett Foundation, which supports individuals and research for catastrophic spinal cord injuries. The event includes live bands and activities for children. It is free and open to the public. The winery is located about 5 miles off Exit 58 of the New York State Thruway, between Silver Creek and Fredonia.
On Monday, Everett is scheduled to speak to a private gathering of school children from Buffalo. The event is organized by the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, a public charity holding more than 700 different charitable events that benefit Western New York.
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The Bills players voted on team captains for the season. They are: Trent Edwards and Lee Evans for the offense, Donte Whitner and Chris Kelsay for the defense; and Brian Moorman and George Wilson for special teams.
“I’ve always loved that hockey ‘C’ on the sweater,” coach Dick Jauron said. “It’s got to be a special deal in our league to have that ‘C’ sitting on the shoulder. My hat’s off to them. It’s a special deal when your teammates elect you.”
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The Bills will hold their 11th annual Fan Food Drive at the stadium Sunday. Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable food items or cash donations, and they will be collected at the stadium gates. The donations will benefit the Food Bank of Western New York and its network of 400 member agencies. Over the past decade more than 66,000 pounds of food and $150,000 has been collected in the drive at the stadium.
Bills owner Ralph C. Wilson Jr. and his wife, Mary, will match all monetary donations collected at the gates. Tops Friendly Markets will match food donations up to 3,000 pounds.
