Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly continues his quest to help infants get screened early for potential diseases. Last Thursday, Kelly posed for pictures with fans of all ages and signed autographs for a huge crowd in the HH Boyd's Bears store at the Boulevard Mall in Amherst.
For each bear that a fan purchased from HH Boyd's, they were given the opportunity to have Kelly sign any one item. Among the #12 jerseys, footballs, K-Gun posters and Bills helmets that fans brought to the signing, one fan brought a stadium seat that he had bought when the team added all the new suites. The old Stadium chair was originally bought by the fan for only $10 years ago and when Kelly signed it, he joined the autographs of recent Bills Wall of Fame inductees Bruce Smith and Steve Tasker.
"It was a great night at the Boulevard Mall having so many Buffalo Bills fans turn out and support Hunter's Hope with our annual Bear signing," said Kelly. "I really appreciate the generosity from the fans who came out and helped raise $5,000 to benefit my son's Foundation!" It is great to know I can still count on the 12th man!
The funds raised by Kelly at this event will benefit the Hunter's Hope Foundation.
Hunter's Hope was established in 1997 by Pro Football Hall of Fame member and former Buffalo Bills Quarterback, Jim Kelly, and his wife, Jill, after their infant son, Hunter, was diagnosed with Krabbe leukodystrophy, an inherited, fatal, nervous system disease. The Foundation is the Kelly's lifelong commitment to increase public awareness of leukodystrophies as well as to increase the likelihood of early detection and treatment. The major goal and highest priority of the Hunter's Hope Foundation is that every newborn in every state will be tested for every possible disease, saving the lives of thousands of children through newborn screening programs. The Foundation also funds research efforts to identify new treatments, therapies and a cure for Krabbe and other leukodystrophies. For more information about the Hunter's Hope Foundation visit www.huntershope.org.
