Maryland football’s Oct. 17 matchup with Rutgers will double as a day of giving at SECU Stadium, with former Terrapins Shawne Merriman and A.J. Francis each leading their annual community drives.
Merriman’s 24th annual Lights On Foundation Coat Drive will collect new or gently used coats, hats, scarves and other cold-weather gear for local families in need. The timing adds another layer to the day: Merriman will also be honored as part of his induction into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame. His formal induction ceremony and banquet are set for Oct. 16, followed by an on-field recognition at the Rutgers game the next night.
Francis is back with his 10th annual Canned Food Drive, asking fans attending the game to bring non-perishable items. Donations will go to people connected with Sarah’s House in Fort Meade, Maryland, not far from Francis’ hometown of Severn.
Wegmans Food Markets is helping out this year with logistics and staffing. Employees will assist with collecting, sorting and packing the donations, and the company will also make a direct canned-food contribution.
"At Wegmans, we believe the greatest impact happens when organizations, volunteers, and community members come together in support of a shared cause," said Chris Holland, Regional Community Engagement Manager for Wegmans Food Markets. "We're grateful for the opportunity to support Shawne Merriman's and A.J. Francis' community drives and to work alongside volunteers and Maryland fans to provide food and cold-weather essentials for local families."
Donation bins will be set up around SECU Stadium, with volunteers on hand to gather canned food as well as coats and other cold-weather items.
Merriman, who played for Maryland from 2002-04 and finished his college career with an all-conference team nod, was selected 12th overall in the 2005 NFL draft and won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Over eight NFL seasons, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and two All-Pro honors, including First-Team All-Pro in 2006 after leading the league in sacks.
"When I first started this 24 years ago I was only looking to help a few hundred people to not feel like I felt in the winter," Merriman said. "Twenty-four years later we're still going but none of this would be possible without all the support I've received over the years to do so."
Francis played four seasons at Maryland from 2009-12, appearing in 49 games and recording 149 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a key piece of the defensive line. He later spent time in the NFL with Miami, Seattle, Washington, the New York Giants, New England and Tampa Bay, and he is currently a TNA superstar after also working as a WWE entertainer.
"I grew up in Severn, Maryland and my parents both went to Meade High School, so Sarah's House represents a community full of people that could have been me," Francis said. "We've been able to raise thousands of dollars and thousands of pounds of food for people that really need it, and to be able to do that for a decade lets me know that my purpose of making my community better than how I found it is coming true. I couldn't be more grateful to the University of Maryland community for allowing me to be a beacon of hope to people back home and to let the kids in Sarah's House know that people in this world care about them and will always be there for them."
Merriman’s Lights On Foundation, founded while he was still a student at Maryland, focuses on improving the quality of life for youth and helping the homeless. Over the past 20-plus years, the foundation has donated more than 40,000 coats, while Merriman has continued supporting children in need through time, money and other resources around the country.
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