Duo leads team's tour through the Mid-South on May 3 with visits *to Alamo, Dyersburg, Union City, Martin and Paducah*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker and safety George Wilson are scheduled to headline the Academy Sports + Outdoor Titans Caravan on Friday, May 3, the fifth day of the team's two-week annual trip through the Mid-South. The duo will stop in the communities of Alamo, Dyersburg, Union City, Martin and Paducah.
The day begins with three consecutive school visits. The Caravan will stop at Alamo Elementary School (264 East Park Street) at 8:30 a.m., Fifth Consolidated Elementary School in Dyersburg (2372 Millsfield Highway) at 10:30 a.m., and Lake Road Elementary School in Union City (1130 East Highway 22).
At 3 p.m., Walker and Wilson will make a public stop at the downtown gazebo in Martin (101 University Street). Finally, they will conclude the afternoon with a 5:30 p.m. visit to Shoe Carnival in Paducah (3250 James Sanders Boulevard).
The Titans school program is based on the NFL's Play 60 initiative, which encourages youth to get at least 60 minutes of active play each day. Students receive a high-energy, educational message from a Titans player, eight-time Pro Bowl Titans mascot T-Rac, host Rhett Bryan and representatives from Tennessee State Parks. In addition to the Play 60 elements, audience members receive a message about making good choices in all parts of their lives. They also get up-close looks at Tennessee wildlife in the care of Tennessee State Parks, as well as information on nearby state parks.
The Titans school program will be performed 22 times during the Caravan and reach approximately 12,000 students.
Public stops during the Academy Sports + Outdoors Titans Caravan provide a way for Titans players, T-Rac and the "Voice of the Titans" Mike Keith to sign autographs and thank fans for their support. Posters are provided at no cost to all Caravan attendees for autographs, and photos are encouraged. The stops generally last one hour.
Walker is in his first year with the Titans. The tight end was one of the team's top targets when the unrestricted free agency signing period began in March. In seven previous seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, he totaled 123 receptions for 1,465 yards (11.9 avg.) and eight touchdowns while also playing a key role as a blocker in the running game.
Wilson joined the Titans this offseason after spending the majority of the last nine years with the Buffalo Bills. In 92 career games with the Bills, he contributed 362 tackles, 12 interceptions, 22 passes defensed, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries. Additionally, the five-time team captain totaled 57 career tackles on special teams.
Titans Caravan began in 1998 as a small effort to spread goodwill through the region. Today, seven full-time staffers travel with Titans players and T-Rac through the Mid-South on a specially-decorated motor coach provided by Grand Avenue. Since 1998, the Caravan has made over 750 stops, visited more than 300 schools and allowed the team to interact directly with an estimated audience well in excess of 120,000 fans.
This year's Caravan consists of 44 total stops from April 29 through May 10.
ABOUT ACADEMY SPORTS+OUTDOORS:Academy Sports + Outdoors is a premier sports, outdoor and lifestyle retailer with a broad assortment of quality hunting, fishing and camping equipment and gear along with sports and leisure products, footwear, apparel and much more. The Texas-based company operates 160 stores throughout Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The Academy Sports + Outdoors philosophy is to deliver an unparalleled shopping experience by providing convenience, offering a broad selection of quality products, delivering exceptional customer service and selling the right stuff at everyday low prices. For more information about Academy Sports + Outdoors visit academy.com, facebook.com/academy, twitter.com/academy, pinterest.com/academy and youtube.com/academy.
