TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Every second Friday in July, for the last decade and a half, Ernie Sims has come back to his hometown to give back.
The 15th annual Ernie Sims Charity Weekend returns next Friday, and this year's event is going to be bigger than ever.
Sims played football at North Florida Christian, then at Florida State and later in the NFL. Every year, he holds a youth football and cheer camp at Tom Brown Park, and the following day, there's a track and field invitational.
For year 15, they're going big. Twenty community partners will be on site that will come together to impact children and families, including Second Harvest, who will give meals to over 300 families. It's a big day, and one the Sims family is looking forward to.
"This is the heartbeat of Ernie. This community to Ernie is so special," said his mom, Alice. "He's always said, I will always come back to Tallahassee. This will always be my home. The people in the Tallahassee community poured into his life. Not just his parents, but his coaches, all the people that helped us raise him is Tallahassee. He wanted to give back, and he said the children, to see the smiles on their faces, is what makes his day every day.'
It's a big weekend, starting Friday for the 15th Annual Football and Cheer Camp, which runs from 9:30 to 1:00 at Tom Brown Park. The track invitational is Saturday from 8:00 to 4:00.
There are several ways to register. You can stop by any Leon County Parks and Recreation Center, or you can call Alice Sims at 850-322-3929.
