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Raymond James and Bucs Placekicker Matt Bryant Team Up in Support of St. Joseph's Children’s Hospital, Tampa
On Tuesday, December 2, 2008, Tampa Bay Buccaneers place-kicker, Matt Bryant, along with Raymond James & Associates Tampa financial advisors Amanda Murphy and Mike Brill, presented a check to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa for $7,500. Bryant signed autographs and visited with some of the hospitalized children gathered in the lobby for arts and crafts activities and to meet the Bucs’ “gold-footed” kicker.
The $7,500 check represents Matt’s “earnings” through the Raymond James Kicking for Kids program – in which the financial services firm donates $1,000 for every successful field goal and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers donate an additional $500 per game to local children’s hospitals.
The proceeds go to hospitals selected by the local Raymond James office where the games are played. This check to St. Joseph’s represents Matt’s successful kicks from this season’s first three home games: September 14 vs. Atlanta, September 28 vs. Green Bay and October 12 vs. Carolina.
Over the course of the Raymond James Kicking for Kids program, which began in 2000 with Martin Gramatica, more than $155,000 has been donated to children’s hospitals across the country.
“At Raymond James,” explains Chairman and CEO Thomas A. James, “we believe our firm and our associates should give something back to the communities in which we live and work. Supporting worthy charities and organizations – such as children’s hospitals – is a long-standing tradition at Raymond James.”
“The fact that Matt Bryant is having a stellar season after suffering such a devastating personal tragedy makes his commitment of time and energy on behalf of hospitalized children all the more meaningful and commendable,” added James.
This season, a cumulative total of $30,500 has been donated by Raymond James to children’s hospitals in New Orleans, La., Chicago, Ill., Detroit, Mich., Denver, Colo., Dallas, Texas, Kansas City, Mo., and Tampa, Fla.
The Buccaneers’ successful field goal rate is driving toward a new Kicking for Kids record for dollars raised in a single season*.
*In 2007, the dollar amount per successful field goal was increased from $500 to $1,000.
