SANTA CLARA, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – With just a few weeks left before the start of the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers' faithful gathered at Levi's Stadium on Sunday for a unique up-close experience with their favorite players and to help raise big money for the team's foundation.
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Players and coaches wined and dined with fans, participated in a Family Feud style game show, and served as auctioneers for the annual "Players for a Purpose" event.
"This is the only event throughout the entire season where fans can get this close to our players and have the entire roster here," Justin Prettyman, executive of the 49ers Foundation, told KCBS Radio.
The over three-quarters of a million dollars raised benefits programs serving more than 60,000 Bay Area youth.
The programs teach children "science, technology, engineering, arts and math using Levi’s Stadium, the 49ers and the intrigue of sports as the entry," Prettyman added.
Defensive end Arik Armstead is one of the most active 49ers in the community and even formed a non-profit of his own called "Armstead Academic Project," which aims to ensure every student, no matter their socioeconomic status, has direct access to education.
"It was embedded, ingrained in me by parents and my family at a young age. I didn’t know what it would be in the future, but I always knew that I wanted to help people," Armstead said on Sunday. "Now I'm kind of acting that out."
"One of the greatest humanitarian acts that you can have is educating someone so they can go on and be successful in the future," he added.
Linebacker Fred Warner is expected to be a leader on the field most Sundays, and he said he wants to do the same away from the gridiron.
"Football doesn't last forever and I want my legacy to reach past the football field," he said. "Obviously I want it to be as long lasting as possible on the field, but I know those relationships I make and those kids I touch, or anybody honestly, I know that’s going to last a lot longer."
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