Kroenke family, CU fans donate to relief effort; games changing
The Kroenke family is donating $1 million to Red Cross relief efforts in response to the destruction caused by Hurricane Harvey, the Nuggets announced Wednesday.
“Our family’s thoughts are with all those affected by Hurricane Harvey,” Ann Walton Kroenke said in a news release.
Stan Kroenke owns the Nuggets, Avalanche, Rapids, Colorado Mammoth and Los Angeles Rams. The Rapids will be playing in Houston against the Dynamo on Saturday at BBVA Compass Stadium.
“We couldn’t do it without the generosity of our amazing donors — such as Stan, Ann, Whitney and Josh Kroenke,” American Red Cross president and CEO Gail McGovern said in a news release. “With their commitment, the Red Cross can be there to deliver shelter, food and the necessary supplies to ensure people are cared for, and to help during the recovery process.”
University of Colorado fans also did their part. The CU athletic department has distributed 440 free tickets to Saturday’s noon home football opener against Texas State in response to public donations for Hurricane Harvey relief efforts in Houston, a university spokesman said.
The Buffaloes accepted donations — bottled water, nonperishable food items, hygiene products, cleaning supplies and gently used clothing — on campus from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday. Items were loaded into the CU football team’s trailer and will be delivered to the Houston chapter of the Red Cross. Individuals who participated were given two free tickets to Saturday’s game.
CU did not provide specifics on total items donated, but with 440 tickets distributed, the total individual gifts topped 220. The Bolder Boulder also donated several boxes of race shirts.
First-year junior college transfer defensive lineman Javier Edwards is the lone Houston native on the Buffs’ roster. He attended Aldine Davis High School about 30 miles north of downtown.
“I wish I was back home helping my family,” Edwards said. “But they’re strong. They’ll be all right.”
• With the next hurricane, Irma, bearing down on the South, many games have been postponed or had game times changed.
One of those involves Northern Colorado, whose football game at Florida in Gainesville was moved from 5:30 p.m. MDT to 10 a.m.
• No. 10 Florida State moved its game against Louisiana-Monroe from a night start to a 10 a.m. MDT kickoff Saturday.
• No. 16 Miami’s game at Arkansas State on Saturday has been canceled. The game will not be made up this season.
• Travel concerns prompted officials to move the start of Saturday’s football game between No. 21 South Florida and UConn to 8:30 a.m. MDT in East Hartford, Conn. The conference said halftime will be just 15 minutes, and USF will depart immediately after the game, with no media availabilities at the stadium.
• Florida International’s home opener will get played, but a long way from home. The Panthers will meet Alcorn State on Friday night in Birmingham, Ala. The game was to be played Saturday night in Miami.
• And the NFL made it official, moving the Miami Dolphins-Tampa Bay Buccaneers Week 1 game to Week 11. The game will be played Nov. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. That means the Dolphins and Bucs will have their bye in Week 1. Both teams will now play 16 consecutive weeks, starting in Week 2.