Support The Mountaineers!

The last week has been tough for all West Virginians with the untimely departure of Rich Rodriguez for what he believes is greener grass in Michigan.

Today I got the email below from my partner and friend, Chris Brumley, loyal Mountaineer Fan and all around good guy.

He is heading up a grassroots effort to allow all Mountaineer Fans to show their support for the players and the program and do something great for kids in the Glendale, Arizona area. UPDATE: Chris has made arrangements with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix who are planning a field trip to the game. The WVU Athletic Department has agreed to allow a purchase of block seats so the kids can sit together. Also, in the works are gold t-shirts to be donated.

Think back to the first time you got to go to (old or new) Mountaineer Stadium and watch the Mountaineers. Think about giving that experience away to a kid in Arizona. Photo to the right is my son's first trip to watch the Mountaineers in 2003.

Good luck to the Mountaineer players and remaining coaches (Bill Stewart, who hails from my hometown of New Martinsville has admirably stepped in to lead the Mountaineers).

After reading the message below if you are interested in supporting the effort by buying a ticket please notify me at RCoffield@fsblaw.com or Chris via email at CBrumley@fsblaw.com. Send your check written to: Chris Brumley, 200 Capitol Street, Charleston, WV 25338. Deadline to notify via email is December 27. Chris has arranged with Boys & Girls Club to get an acknowledgment letter and will do a follow up donor letter to each donor to acknowledge their donation for tax purposes.

I will periodically update the number of ticket sponsored here - so check back:
12/21 @ 7:30am: 55
12/21 @ 12 noon: 65
12/22 @ 12 noon: 92
12/26 @ 12 noon: 98

12/27 @ 12 noon (final count): 128 tickets have been donated to the Phoenix Metropolitan Boys and Girls Club, with Gold T-Shirts to match. The donation is equivalent to a cash donation of more than $17,500.00. Way to go WVU fans!

Hello Everyone:

This email is an invitation. It is inspired by a friend of mine, Paul White, who every year at this time takes the opportunity, and dedicates his time, to benefiting others during the holiday season by coordinating a donation effort to the less fortunate. This is also a solicitation and it is not intended to distract from Paul’s charitable efforts whatsoever, and if you are not interested please do not rely as I sent this out to most every email address I have!!!!

As I have watched the last week unfold, and our football program and State take a severe hit with the Rich Rod/WVU debacle, I almost forgot about the players and the program that are most affected by all the turmoil. Obviously, these negative events have taken away from the successes of this season, the program, and the enjoyment of a BCS bowl game. With that said, it is not too late. While I doubt anyone is going to travel to the Fiesta Bowl that was not planning to before these events, we can still provide the support that WVU fans have become so renown for, and do something good for the less fortunate.

I am willing to coordinate and propose the following:

1. I propose that everyone that can email me back and pledge to buy One ticket to the bowl game through the university. ( I think they are $135 per tix, feel free to buy more if you like, I will also accept ½ tix donations and match them up, that’s $67.50 for the math impaired)

2. I will fund the purchase and collect the $ from each person individually.

3. We will donate the tickets we purchase to boy/girls clubs or other worthy charities in the area so they can attend the game. (I have family there that can identify charities, but anyone that knows of a worthy charitable group please suggest).

4. I will follow up with a letter to each person noting their purchase and subsequent donation to the charity by letter.

This is the best way I can think of to support this team, WVU, and the less fortunate during the Holiday Season, all in one act. So if you choose to, email me back and I will out the coordination into this effort. Please do not reply to this unless you are in since I sent it to most everyone on my email list and my blackberry cannot take the traffic. Also, feel free to fw this to anyone you think may be interested.

Lets Bring on the Mountaineers!!!!!!

Thanks to my fellow WV bloggers for the linking to the post and spreading the word:

• This Is Not My Blog
• Marketing Genius from Maple Creative