One-hundred Tallahassee families have even more reason to be thankful this year. Monday night they received free turkeys for this week's holiday feast, thanks to a former Florida State University and NFL linebacker who now sees himself as a life-changer.
The scene in the Pineview Elementary School cafeteria was a bit like a pep rally. The school's Program Specialist Kevin Johnson said Pineview administrators picked the families to receive the free turkeys.
"We have over 50 mentees that are part of Ernie Sims' Big Hits Foundation and they were the first recipients, plus we had other families in need for this season of thanks," Johnson remarked.
All of this was made possible by the Big Hits Foundation created by former college and pro football standout Ernie Sims.
"Football was all I knew," he said as families lined up to receive the turkeys, which came from the Tallahassee Sam's Club. "But then I fell back on my roots and the foundation of what I saw my parents do my whole life. I then I had a vision; I saw a light in a tunnel that this is what the Lord has put in place for my life is to impact these kids."
The Sims foundation provides many programs that help children and their families in the city's lower income neighborhoods.
