The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, along with NFL teams throughout the league, will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) with local efforts that will include designated home games and community outreach. On Sunday, September 29, the Buccaneers will carry out the celebration at Raymond James Stadium when the team hosts the Arizona Cardinals, as fans will be treated to special themed events and activities designed to celebrate the region's strong Hispanic roots.
The NFL and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) have partnered for the third annual NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Awards, presented by Courtyard by Marriott. The awards recognize the contributions of Hispanic leaders in each NFL market. Each award recipient will be recognized in-stadium at a Hispanic Heritage game in their local market and will select an organization of their choice that serves the local Hispanic community to receive a $2,000 donation. On Sunday, the Buccaneers will honor MRS. JOLIE GONZALEZ-PADILLA, president of the Latin Times and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa. Gonzalez-Padilla will not only serve as the Buccaneers' honorary captain, but will be presented with the 2013 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Hispanic Leadership Award. In her name, a $2,000 donation will be made to the Judeo Christian Health Clinic.
Prior to kickoff, the Buccaneers will be welcomed to the field by 90 fans from Hispanic communities throughout Tampa Bay. During the team's introductions, Buccaneers battle flags will be represented with a colorful display of national flags of countries throughout Central and South America in support of the Hispanic countries that represent residents throughout the Bay Area.
Sunday's national anthem will be performed by CDA recording artists and eight-time Central Florida Latin Rock act of the Year Rico Monaco and Page Quintana of the Rico Monaco band. Throughout the game, including a special halftime performance, the Buccaneers Cheerleaders will also dance to popular Latin music.
Gameday festivities follow up this past Tuesday's efforts, when Tampa Bay Buccaneers players, Buccaneers Cheerleaders, and Captain Fear visited Webb Middle School in Tampa to host a Fútbol Americano Fiesta in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. LB Jonathan Casillas, S Dashon Goldson, RB Doug Martin, S Keith Tandy and LB Dekoda Watson led a predominantly-Hispanic group of students through football drills as part of the celebration, which also included salsa dancing instruction from Buccaneers Cheerleaders, a cooking station with healthy Hispanic recipes hosted by Buccaneers Chef Mike Beadles, and Hispanic cultural music instruction from World Drumming Certified Teacher Nathaniel Strawbridge. Visit www.NFL.com/HispanicHeritage to learn more about the NFL's efforts to celebrate Hispanic Heritage throughout the league.
