The poster-sized photograph was taken recently in the backyard of Michael Vick’s Hampton home.
Vick and two of his friends, Lynchburg residents Andre Kendrick and Marcus Revely, smile as they stand side-by-side in front of a lake.
It’s one of just a few Vick keepsakes in the new Lynchburg restaurant co-owned by Kendrick, Vick’s former Virginia Tech teammate, and Revely.
The sports-themed restaurant, named “7” after Vick’s jersey number, is located on Tradewynd Drive in Wyndhurst and is set to open on Friday.
Vick, a former Pro Bowl quarterback and current Philadelphia Eagles reserve who recently served 18 months in prison for running a dogfighting ring, has no financial stake in the establishment, but Kendrick said Vick will provide support by making an appearance in the Hill City sometime in November.
The details of Vick’s visit haven’t been ironed out, but he’s expected to spend some time speaking to Hill City Youth football players and will make an appearance at the restaurant, Kendrick said.
“This is not his establishment,” said Kendrick, who starred at E.C. Glass and played two of his four seasons at Tech with Vick. “All I want to do is bring this guy in for a good cause and talk to the kids.”
The restaurant includes a bar, big-screen televisions for sports viewing and a collection of sports memorabilia, including Kendrick’s game-worn Hokies jersey from the 2000 Sugar Bowl national championship game and a Braylon Edwards-signed Cleve-land Browns jersey.
Kendrick, who is on the board of directors of the Hill City Youth Football and Cheerleading Association and has two sons who play youth football, said one of the side missions of the restaurant is to help give back to the community.
When things get rolling, Kendrick and Revely hope to sponsor Hill City Youth football teams and help finance clinics and summer camps for the kids.
Vick wants to contribute to that cause as well, Kendrick said, but instead of a financial contri-bution, he’d like to lend his name and time.
“Who better to talk to the kids than Mike? If it’s me, I want to talk to somebody who’s lost it all and is on the road to getting it back than somebody that already did it or is still doing it and hasn’t seen any tribulations,” Kendrick said.
Vick, who has had limited playing time for the Eagles since he was reinstated after a two-year NFL suspension, has an arrangement with the president of the Humane Society of the United States to make two public appearances a month to speak out against dogfighting.
Revely said Vick’s upcoming Lynchburg appearance is not part of that arrangement.
Attempts to speak to Vick for this story were unsuccessful.
“This will be a good chance for him to come down and talk to the kids and do some good things,” Revely said. “The best thing about it is it’s not something the (NFL) asked him to do."
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