Rams Players Unite for Legends of the Dome to Benefit St. Louis Kids

When the Rams made to move to Los Angeles this year, the hearts of children – and their parents – were broken all over our fair city.

But while the team may be gone, the generosity of its players continues to change the lives of kids for the better, creating an unrivaled legacy that will persevere season after season. And few players have as big of an influence on the region as former Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce, member of the Super Bowl XXXIV championship team.

On Saturday, July 23, the Isaac Bruce Foundation will host Legends of the Dome, a flag football showdown that reunites some of the city’s most beloved players to thank fans for 21 years of remarkable memories and to help pave the way for St. Louis kids to achieve the incredible today and in the future.

Said Bruce via email, “The city has given so much to me. I came here in 1995 with the Rams and really grew up here. The fans always supported me, and I want to continue to give back and make an impact here in St. Louis.”

Building a strong foundation for kids

Since 2006, the Isaac Bruce Foundation has taught kids from an early age the importance of education, fitness and wellness – all causes that are all close to the heart of Bruce, a father of two.

Through his Foundation, Bruce hosts free football clinics to teach kids about teamwork and sportsmanship, collects books for kids in underserved communities through his partnership with the Ready Readers program, and provides college scholarship to high school seniors.

One of the Foundation’s most unique programs is Flight 300, which offers free transportation to college-bound students who have been accepted to a university and are on scholarship, but can’t afford the cost to travel.

“Flight 300 is something I can relate to because I had a scholarship to a school in California out of high school, but didn’t have the money to get there,” Bruce explained. “I was gifted $300 that bought me a flight so now I pay it forward. We have never turned away a student that needs assistance through that program. It’s something I’m very passionate about.”

For Hayley, a Flight 300 recipient, the financial assistance was life-changing

“I was accepted to Yale, but the travel costs between where I live and New Haven was too much. That’s why I want to thank the Isaac Bruce Foundation Flight 300 program for allowing me to go to the campus and attend the college of my dreams.”

Although Bruce retired from football in 2010, his Foundation has grown in the years since, reaching more kids and changing more lives year after year. Even with the Rams’ move, his dedication to St. Louis remains stronger than ever.

A football finale at the Dome

Through Legends at the Dome, dozens of Rams players and coaches, including Kurt Warner, Orlando Pace, Torry Holt, Aeneas Williams, D’Marco Farr, and Marc Bulger, will join Bruce for a day of family-friendly fun and flag football domination at the Dome at America’s Center to support the Foundation and its programs.

The event begins at 12:30 p.m. when gates open and fans can participate in a meet and greet with players in the concourse area. Warm-ups begin at 1:30, and the game kicks off at 2. With plenty of player interactivity and great memories to be made, it’s ideal for kids and parents alike.

Tickets for Legends at the Dome are $15 and $20, and all attendees will receive a limited edition print as a giveaway. Children under the age of two are admitted free if they are able to sit on a parent’s lap. To get your gear before the big day, Legends t-shirts are available for sale now.

For Bruce, Legends is not only a way to say good-bye to the incredible memories he and his fellow players made at the Dome, but a love letter to the city that cheered him on over the years.

“It had to happen. The city and the fans deserve this. They supported us for 21 years through really great times and not so great times and they deserve a thank you and proper goodbye.  We thought it was important that we got together as a group, as a team, and let the fans know how much they meant to us. How big of a part they were to us playing two Super Bowls — and just how difficult they made it for opposing teams coming in to execute their offense.”

To learn more about the Isaac Bruce Foundation or to make a donation to support its programs, visit www.isaacbruce.org.

_{Photo: Isaac Bruce Foundation}