Why Did PFUFA Adopt the J. Babe Stern Center??
For reasons just like this...
In 2013, Kitty Gibson was a seven year old girl coming to her very first Pro Footballs Ultimate Fan Association J. Babe Sterns charity event. Her mother Karla and her brother Kris were there as well. Like many of the parents that come to the event, Karla brought her children because the PFUFA advertised that we would be having hot dogs and drinks. Karla knew her kids would have at least one meal that day.
On that day, we (PFUFA) didn’t know how we were going to change this family’s life for the better.
At that event, Kitty met a crazy lady with ears on her head and a tutu around her waist. (This was our very own Sheree Pintea (Mrs. Purr) [Class of 2003].) Kitty was immediately smitten, and so was Sheree. She was so cute! (well, both of them really) Kitty thought Mrs. Purr looked like a fairy princess (go figure) and she loves cats! Mrs. Purr happen to have an extra pair of ears, and the bond was made. Later that day, Kitty won a bike from the Buffalo Bills.
The next year the whole family came back in what was to become a tradition for them and PFUFA. Kitty won another bike that year, and Sheree got to know her a little better. She is such a shy kid (Kitty, not Sheree), but smart! Her mother, Karla, was down on her luck, but never expressed a need for help. She was always so grateful for everything we did for her and the kids. The family always offered to help in some small way at the event, and Karla always knitted something small for Sheree as a thank you.
During the events, Kitty and Mrs. Purr would run around like little kids getting stuff to put in her bag. That became a tradition. Kitty would takes that stuff and gives it to kids in her class at school.
The Gibson family continued to come back to J. Babe every year to attend the PFUFA Charity Event. Mrs. Purr and Kitty eventually became Facebook friends. Sheree began sending Christmas and birthday gifts to Kitty--to encourage her to work hard at her studies.
Before the reunion in 2017, a woman came up to Old Man Jay, and said she was homeless and couldn’t feed her kids. She asked if PFUFA could help her. Old Man Jay told the group in our business meeting, but did not remember the lady’s name. The organization agreed to give her a food gift card. That year, Karla Gibson told Sheree she was the one who approached Jay. She stated she was overwhelmed with how a little generosity can change her life and her family's! She is forever grateful to J. Babe and PFUFA for the assistance.
Karla is in a stable environment now and the kids are thriving. Kitty is taking 9th grade algebra and loves science. Also, she signed up for the electric car team. She is trying to get into a program at school so she can take high school classes and college courses for nursing at the same time. She hopes that when she graduates in 2024, she will have both a bachelor’s degree and a high school degree!
In 2019, (this past year) Kitty won another bike, and she gave it to a neighbor friend so they could ride together.
** Please see our 2022 Press Release for the current donation to the J. Babe Stern Center. See the Press Release. **