FB Marcel Reece, and his wife Tera, donated baskets filled with the fixings for Thanksgiving to families of the Boys and Girls Club of Oakland.
"I basically gave them a Thanksgiving dinner that they can cook themselves," explained Reece. "We went grocery shopping and got all the things we know that we love and put it in baskets and came and gave it to the people. Just provided something to them so they can do what they want with it. Do it the way their families know. Do it the way that their families love and do something that can warm their hearts and warm their families' hearts."
Reece has been donating Thanksgiving meals for several years now. Giving back around the holidays is important to the veteran fullback. "Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, those times it's just all about family, it's all about love and it's all about selflessness," said Reece. "It's important to give back to those less fortunate because they come from the same place I come from. For me it's just Southern California and here is Northern California, but this is my home now and when I first came here, this is the area that embraced me."
The long-time Raider spoke with the kids and their parents and then distributed the baskets of food. Everyone was smiling and enjoying the moment with Reece. "Selfishly, it's heartwarming to me. It makes me feel special to see someone else smile, to be able to go out and feel like I can bless someone else with something," said Reece. "Like I said, it's just a selfishly selfless moment for me, if that makes any sense, because it means so much to me to give back. When we were growing up, we didn't really have things like this to be able to go to and have someone kind of fill our kitchen table and that's what it's all about – that's where the vision comes from."
Reece and Raider Nation have a special bond, and the Raiders leader embraces his opportunities to give back. "This is the heart and soul and the foundation of Raider Nation and I want to give back as much as I can," said Reece. "I've been blessed so much that it's only right that I bless anyone I can in any way that I can."
