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The San Francisco 49ers, along with the San Jose Sharks, San Jose Earthquakes, FC Gold Pride and Oakland Athletics joined forces Tuesday afternoon not to play a particular sport, rather to attend a special event.

The teams came together for the Spirit of Santa Clara Luncheon, a gathering hosted by the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce to showcase the impact and spirit that professional sports bring to the region.

Chamber President and CEO Pat Dando opened the luncheon with a passionate introduction about the impact the five teams brought to the San Jose Silicon Valley region, stating, “We are so fortunate here in the Silicon Valley to have at our fingertips the best of everything, and that includes professional sports. Collectively they have given millions of dollars to local charities and made a huge impact on education and programs for children and families, not to mention the number of jobs and economic impact they have created.”

The combination of service represented by the five teams in attendance amounted to over a thousand hours of community service, more than 300 events throughout San Jose and the Bay Area community and millions of dollars in donations to local nonprofit organizations just in 2009.

The 49ers have played a significant role in those figures, with player participation in community events increasing over 30 percent in the past five years. In 2009, the team put in more than 500 hours of community service through 50 events, serving 7,500 youth throughout the Bay Area community.

“The 49ers have been part of the fabric of Silicon Valley for over 20 years.  We are proud of our many contributions to those in need in this area through our Foundation and community outreach efforts,” 49ers Director of Community Relations/49ers Foundation Joanne Pasternack said. “The Spirit of Santa Clara Valley luncheon was an excellent opportunity for all of the participating teams to showcase the many ways that we impact the community through economic development and philanthropic contributions.”

Each of the teams introduced their respective participants, leading off with 49ers President & CEO Jed York to kick off the team presentations.

Aside from noting 49ers alumni participants Guy McIntyre, Steve Bono and Dennis Brown, as well as current players, wide receiver Josh Morgan, fullback Moran Norris, defensive tackle Ricky Jean François and long snapper Brian Jennings in attendance, York addressed the crowd on the excitement surrounding the 2010 season both on and off the field.

“We have high expectations, our players have high expectations and they dedicate their time. We’ve had over 85 percent of our players participate in community events. Our foundation keeps kids safe, on track and in school. We’ve given away over six million dollars in the last five years and you’re going to continue to see that number grow.”

Morgan, a staple at most community events throughout the year, was pleased to be a part of the luncheon.

“This event represents all the support that the teams and athletes bring to the community and to each other,” Morgan said. “It just shows that from the ownership to the players, everyone really wants to support the kids and support the community. It’s a pleasure to be part of that.”

Please credit the photos to Allen's Portrait Arts.