Celebrity Weekend San Antonio Goes The "extra Yard" For The Community

June 13, 2008 - PRLog -- SAN ANTONIO – Throughout his illustrious eleven-year NFL career, Priest Holmes has maintained close ties and enjoyed a strong fan base in San Antonio.  Now, as he leaves football behind, the Super Bowl champion has come home to give his time, talent, and treasure back to the community that has always supported him.

“I love this city,” says Holmes, who retired in 2007, “and now, as I look ahead to life after football, I want to thank the people of San Antonio for the love they have shown me over the years.  I want to do something to help this city and the children of this community, my community.”  To bring that vision to life, Holmes has teamed with other local sports stars and community leaders to create CELEBRITY WEEKEND SAN ANTONIO, an event benefiting local charities that seek to improve the health and well being of children and families in San Antonio.

The weekend begins on Friday, June 20, at Blossom Stadium (12002 Jones Maltsberger Road), with the 9th annual Camp with the Pros, a two-day football camp for ages 5-18.  Leading the camp will be Bremond “Bay Bay” McClinton, Holmes’ personal trainer, as well as the founder of Bay Bay’s Kids/All Sports Foundation, who has joined forces with several active and retired NFL players to help campers develop their skills and speed through one-on-one training.  “People say all the time that sports and athletics build character,” says McClinton, who appears regularly on the Saturday morning edition of KENS 5's Eyewitness News, “and I’ve seen the proof of that.  We’re not just helping these kids develop their bodies, but giving them skills they need to develop their lives as well.”  Participants will also be able to compete for a team trophy and earn medals for speed, sportsmanship, leadership skills and more; the second day will include an autograph session, and a giveaway of a Nintendo Wii system. The camp will run from 8AM to 12PM on June 20 and 21.

Registration for Camp with the Pros costs only $80, and includes participation in both days, plus one T-shirt, lunch for both days, and one team photo.  Applications are available at Sports Authority (125 NW Loop 410, in the Plaza del Norte shopping center across from North Star Mall) and online at www.celebrityweekendsa.com.  

Basketball pros will have their turn at the Freeman Coliseum from 1 to 3PM on June 21, with a Celebrity Basketball Game sponsored by Shooting Stars Basketball Academy, hosted by Bridget Smith of KENS 5’s "Great Day SA", and featuring recent "Dancing with the Stars" contestants Mario and Karina Smirnoff, along with other professional athletes and celebrities who will serve as both players and coaches. To date, confirmed participants include Robert Horry of the four-time NBA World Champion San Antonio Spurs; Kris Humphries of the Toronto Raptors; recording artists J-Mellion, Ally Brooke, and Rob G; actors Adrian R’Mante and Giovonnie Samuels ("The Suite Life of Zach and Cody"), Temple Poteat ("The Young and the Restless"), Tequan Richmond and Paige Hurd ("Everybody Hates Chris"), and Nick Gonzalez, a San Antonio native whose credits include appearances on "Ugly Betty" and "Grey’s Anatomy"; and sportscasters Chuck Miketinac (KABB), Joe Reinagel (KENS), and Greg Simmons (KSAT).

After the game, from 3 to 4PM, Karina will host the first annual Get Up and Dance SA competition, along with representatives from Arthur Murray Dance Studio and the dance troupe Status Quo.

On June 21, the weekend will close on a high note with a Benefit Concert, sponsored by Tony Parker’s GameTime Productions, from 4 to 7PM at the Freeman Coliseum, featuring multi-platinum selling artist Chingy, and introducing up-and-coming recording artist Ally Brooke.

Fans will be able to attend both the Celebrity Basketball Game and the Benefit Concert with a single ticket, as tickets range from $10 to $40.  Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster outlets, including Macy’s and HEB.

As families enjoy the weekend’s sports and music events on the floor of the Freeman Coliseum, they will also have the opportunity to learn more about improving their health. Kaiser Medical Management (KMM) and Restorative Healthcare (RHC) will sponsor a Health and Safety Fair just inside the coliseum’s main entrance. Booths will be set up on Saturday only and some of the complimentary services will include blood pressure checks, glucose screenings, and education on weight management, poison control, and nutrition.

To round out the weekend activities, Red McCombs Toyota has partnered with the Holmes Foundation to give away a brand-new Toyota Scion.

All proceeds raised during the CELEBRITY WEEKEND SAN ANTONIO will benefit select local charities, including St. Peter-St. Joseph Children’s Home (www.stpjhome.org), which helps children affected by abuse, neglect, and poverty; The Shooting Stars Basketball Academy (www.shootingstarsbasketballacademy.com), a non-profit organization that provides leadership and mentoring to underprivileged youth through basketball; and Bay Bay’s Kids/All Sports Foundation, which provides scholarships, athletic equipment, and exercise and nutrition training for underprivileged children.

For more information on funding scholarships for Camp with the Pros and sponsorships for CELEBRITY WEEKEND SAN ANTONIO, as well as on events (as dates, times, locations, and participants are subject to change), please call 210.778.8530, E-mail celebrityweekendsa@gmail.com, or visit the official website, located at www.celebrityweekendsa.com.

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About Priest Holmes: Born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, but raised in San Antonio, Texas, Priest Holmes played football at John Marshall High School, where he led his team to the state championship game; after graduating from high school in 1992, he attended the University of Texas at Austin.  During his NFL career, he played with the Baltimore Ravens, earning a Super Bowl championship in 2001, and with the Kansas City Chiefs, where he set team records in career rushing attempts, career rushing yards, career rushing touchdowns, and total touchdowns.  In 2007, Priest’s legendary collegiate and post-collegiate accomplishments were commemorated with an induction into the UT Longhorn Hall of Honor in Austin and the Texas High School Hall of Fame in Waco. Since retiring from the NFL last year, Holmes is once again calling San Antonio home and has become one of the city’s most prolific philanthropists.