Billy Napier auctioning signed black jerseys, donating proceeds to Fisher House
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida wore black uniforms for the first time in school history last season, creating a new tradition that UF coach Billy Napier started at Louisiana. The ‘Saluting Those Who Serve’ game is aimed at military appreciation and bringing awareness to service members.
For Napier, it’s also about giving back to them and their families. In addition to the efforts by the UAA and football program during Arkansas week, he wanted to do something on his own that would make an impact locally.
Napier recently purchased, signed and framed five black jerseys — each one with a core value of the military on the nameplate — to put up for auction. He will then donate the proceeds to the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation.
Bidding for the jerseys is now open (click here), and the auction is scheduled for May 25 at 1 p.m. On that day, people can bid in person or online through the same link. It will be hosted by Auctions by Adkins in Melrose, Fla.
“I’m thankful for kind of finding a path here to use what we did back in the fall with the uniforms, and certainly we’re hopeful we can create some awareness,” Napier said. “We get behind a good cause here and I think as much as we can do to help organizations like this, the better.”
The Fisher House Foundation is a non-profit organization that offers shelter and support during a medical crisis to service members, retirees, veterans and their families. The Gainesville location is on the campus of the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center and one of 100 Fisher Houses around the nation.
Patti Fabiani is one of the co-founders of the Gainesville Fisher House Foundation and has served as the Executive Director for the past 11 years. It functions as the busiest Fisher House in the country with over 1,500 veterans and their families each year.
“It’s just really wonderful to have somebody like Billy reach out to us and be part of our effort here,” Fabiani said. “To have him key in on us as the Fisher House and bring attention to that, and the way he’s doing it with the wording. Commitment, integrity, honor. That’s what everyone here has done.
“They’ve served the country and they’ve lived by those words. So, that’s even more important to us that the word gets out. And everybody that has been supporting us, it makes them feel good that somebody like Coach Napier is paying attention to us. Very often the veteran community is not focused on.”
Napier has always had great reverence for the military, law enforcement and first responders. He had some family members in the Air Force, and a number of his former teammates and players have served after their football career.
“Just being a coach and then obviously playing the game, got a lot of young people that you come in contact with that go that route, right? And then you’re keeping up with them. And I think that’s probably where my respect (for the military) comes from,” Napier said.
“I just think it’s a unique decision in life. We all are kind of going about our business in life and trying to figure out our path, but I think it takes a little something special to choose that path. You’re putting your life at stake. … So, just a ton of respect overall for it.”
Napier didn’t have a Fisher House in Lafayette when he was the coach at Louisiana, so he would connect directly with some veterans and their families each year and find ways to give back and get them involved in UL’s military appreciation week.
Napier is excited about partnering with the Fisher House and using his platform at Florida to generate more help for military families on a bigger scale.
“It’s part of the job,” he said. “You’re making the most of your platform, trying to do things that leave something behind, right? So, I think this is a great opportunity for all people involved. We want to continue to do good like this.
“The thing that’s unique here is we’re not only helping the individual who chose that path but also the people in their families as well. The reality is these people that protect some of these freedoms that we take for granted, they have families too.”
