MINNEAPOLIS – On Wednesday, September 3rd from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Pro Bowl safety Darren Sharper along with Tyrell Johnson, Garrett Mills, Bobby Wade, and other teammates, will visit the Seed Academy/Harvest Preparatory School in North Minneapolis located at 1300 Olson Memorial Highway, Minneapolis, MN 55411.
Sharper is partnering with the nonprofit organization Books For Africa. Students, and the school, will donate their gently used books and obsolete textbooks. In the off-season, Darren will visit Africa and present the books to the needy.
As away of thanking the students for their generosity the Vikings Community sponsor Qwest will donate a NEW book to each of the school’s students—nearly 600—as part of its Readers for Life initiative.
After the school assembly from 1:30 to 2:00 p.m. the players will join Qwest volunteers (called Pioneers) and visit three classrooms and read to the students from 2:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Earlier this summer, the entire Vikings organization constructed a new playground at the school.
The school assembly is a precursor to our Books for Africa “Books and Bucks” collection taking place prior to the Vikings/Green Bay game at the Metrodome on November 9th. There will be a Books For Africa Packers bin and Books For Africa Vikings bin stationed at each gate manned by Books For Africa volunteers and fans are encouraged to bring a book or make a cash donation prior to kickoff. The contest off the field will be to see who donates more books—Vikings fans or Packers fans.