The Orange Bowl Committee was preparing to make game day a success as the Jan. 1 quarterfinal Orange Bowl between Oregon and Texas Tech neared. The committee is a non-profit organization made up of more than 400 volunteer members and a full-time staff that work year-round to generate tourism for Sou th Florida. Orange Bowl Cares, the Orange Bowl’s community outreach initiatives, is built on four pillars: youth sports, education, community engagement and legacy programs. “It’s one of those organizations where it’s a true volunteer organization where people are so giving of their time … the members really give a lot, so it’s a truly member-driven organization,” said Henri Crockett, the current Orange Bowl Committee president and an ex-National Football League professional player. He said the committee has about 125 more “active members,” which are members who have at least 15 years of service. He added that the committee has “some of the most generous people that you ever want to meet.” “They really care about not just the Orange Bowl but the community itself,” Mr. Crockett said. “They always keep the community at the forefront of everything that we do and education in the kids because, truly, when this game first started out, that’s what really supported our game. It was the local communities, it was the school systems, it was these families…” The committee started preparing for the following year the day after the prior Orange Bowl. Its executive leadership makes the decisions, while the board of directors supports the vision and helps ensure the committee is on track. The body carries out the plan, including tasks like bartending and transportation. “We really got … a true partner to the community, and these members are really committed to making change and making a real impact,” Mr. Crockett said. “They’re not really into just doing something just to say, ‘We did it.’ They really want to make a real impact.” The Orange Bowl Committee was created in 1935 to boost the local economy through an annual football game and supporting events. The Orange Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, is the second-oldest bowl game in the nation. The game now is played every year at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. The post 400 volunteers make Orange Bowl Committee successful appeared first on Miami Today. ...read more read less