Charlestown Boys' and Girls' Club is Going Long

Howie Long will be back in the neighborhood this month to receive a "hometown plaque" dedicated to him from the Football Hall Of Fame, a nonprofit organization, and Allstate Insurance as a part of the Hall Of Fame's intention to honor its living members. 

The dedication ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 7 at 3 p.m. at the .

A Townie by birth and standout defensive player on the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders in the '80s and early '90s, Long, who has also worked as a football commentator for many other Allstate-sponsored events, is the first of 160 living Hall of Famers to receive this plaque, which he intends to leave up on display at the Charlestown Clubhouse.  

The event isn't open to the community due to concerns about turning folks away, but select Boys and Girls Club youth will be present at the event, which includes a meet-and-greet. 

Much of Long's career, which also featured a Super Bowl victory in 1984, numerous league honors in the NFL (including being named to the 1980s All-Decade Team), roles in Hollywood films and spokesman positions for RadioShack, Kraft, Hanes, and a number of other different companies, occurred before the young Boys & Girls Club members were old enough to be aware of it. But it's anticipated that he will be an inspiration to them nonetheless.

Long has been a philanthropist as well, and he is currently the Honorary Chairman of his local Boys and Girls Club in Virginia.

Other Hall of Famers set to receive plaques shortly under the same program include Joe Namath, who is receiving his in Pennsylvania on Sept. 10, and Chuck Noll, who will receive his in his hometown of Cleveland.