Irv has gone out of his way for several years now to invest in the youth of our Cleveland-Akron community.  In 1999 he did even more.  The following pictures share with you our many experiences with him.



From left to right - Dante Booker (Garden City CC, Kansas),
John Saucier, little Johnathan, Irv Smith, and Karel Smith.
Karel played football for Akron Buchtel and Penn State U.
This was at the 1996 event at Akron's Springside Raquetball Club.

Irv speaks to our guests in 1996 at the same Springside
Raquetball Club event.


1996 Springside Raquetball Club event

Irv signing autographs at Akron's Springside Raquetball
Club in January of 1996 for those invited by TEAM JAM.

Irv with (from left to right) Scott Holden and Bill Green
from Hudson H.S. in Ohio and Andrew Gorski from Mentor.
Irv provided tickets for us to see him and the S.F. 49ers
play against the Buffalo Bills.  Then he spent time with us after
the game outside the locker room and the team bus.

Irv with Medina H.S.'s Mike Chase at the Tri-County 
All-Star basketball game at Akron U. in 1999.  Mike is now 
playing football for Davidson U. in North Carolina.

Brett Ameche, Irv, Steve Sorrenson and Lawrence O'Toole.
Irv inivted several of us up for the opening of the new football
stadium and see the team practice.  This was also the day that 
Lawrence learned how to make Jesus Christ his personal Savior.

Irv addresses Hudson H.S.'s football team in November 1999.

Irv with Rob Clancy (Hudson H.S.) and Jimmy Oliver.
Jimmy is an NBA veteran who is presently playing over
in Greece.  Jimmy can also be found on our "leadership" page.

ED SMITH

Irv's older brother Ed Smith currently plays tight end for the Detroit Lions.  Last year he hosted us at two games up in Detroit to see his Atlanta Falcons play, as well as at the Super Bowl in Miami.  The following are some of the pictures from our Detroit trips.  Click on the pictures for a detailed experience of our trips.

Ed, #86 for the Atlanta Falcons, in pregame warmups
in the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit.

Ed with our 16 man contingent up in Detroit the 
morning of the Falcons game against the Lions, 1998. 
Little did we know at that point that we'd be seeing
the Falcons in the Super Bowl one month later.

From left to right: Pete Murdough, Charlie McKee
(from Akron Garfield), Bill Green (Hudson), Greg
Lewis (Winthrop U.), and Josh Holden (West Point).
Seen at the Pontiac Silverdome to see Ed and the
Atlanta Falcons play the Detroit Lions.