Buffalo Bills HOF Bruce Smith Supports 5/14 Memorial Scholarship

CLARENCE, NY — After a storied career as one of the most legendary Buffalo Bills of all time, Bruce Smith always appreciated the love this community gave him, which is why he established an annual tradition to give back.

“Buffalo is here, in my heart,” Smith said. “This city welcomed me as one of their own, and that’s why I feel so much a part of Buffalo.”

When our city was the target of a racist attack on May 14, 2022, leaving ten people dead, Smith wanted to help.

“Racism has no place,” Smith said. “I just wanted to help make a difference.”

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Smith helps the community by supporting the nonprofit Legacy 5.14, hosting the third annual Bruce Smith Celebrity Gala and Golf Tournament on Sunday.

The organization’s president, Earl Perrin Jr., explained what the gala was all about.

“We raise $50,000 every year for scholarships,” Perrin Jr. said. “With these scholarships, we give $5,000 (each) to 10 students from Buffalo schools.”

While it’s a fun evening filled with drinks and live music, it serves a deeper, life-changing purpose.

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“These scholarships give them the chance to make a difference, not only economically, but to really give back (to their communities), and that’s what we really want,” Perrin Jr. said.

A generational difference made in honor of those lost lives, like those of Perrin Jr.’s good friend, Aaron Salter Jr. and Mark Talley’s mother, Geraldine Talley

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“It means everything,” Mark said. “Bruce Smith could be at home watching TV. Bruce Smith takes time out of his life, out of his schedule, to be here with us so we can try to fight systems of hate.

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An action sparking a change noticed throughout the city and by Erie County President April Baskin.

“This event reflects the spirit of the City of Buffalo, which gives to those in need, because we love our neighbors.”

The next round of scholarships will be awarded to Buffalo high school students in the coming days.