Good morning Blazersedgarians.  Blazersedgemites?  Aw heck...hello folks.  While you're waiting for the reports from Media Day I have something for you to chew on. 

It is my great pleasure to announce to you the plans for the Official 2009-10 Blazersedge Night at the Garden.  This is an annual event during which all Blazersedge readers who can manage it gather, along with some special guests, at a home game to cheer on the team and celebrate the site.

This year's Blazersedge Night will be held on Monday, January 25th when the Blazers face the New Orleans Hornets.  We have reserved 100 tickets and they are available now.  Before I give you the details I want to share with you what will make this Blazersedge Night unlike any other we've had.

Remember those "special guests" I just mentioned?  If not, a refresher:  Part of the Blazersedge Night tradition is that people buy extra tickets which are then distributed to kids from around the Portland area who wouldn't otherwise be able to go to a game because their economic situation doesn't allow it.  We have a friend named Dan Son who has amazing connections around town with school principals, teachers, social workers, churches, and youth organizations.  He personally contacts these people, they find kids in need, and voila!  Blazersedge Night comes equipped with a bunch of incredibly happy, incredibly pumped up young fans, many of whom are attending the first (and maybe only) game of their lives.  It's our way of passing on Blazer fandom.  If you want to read the stories from the kids and their teachers about their experience last year they're in this post.

So what's the big deal this year?  In the first year we did this we sent 40-odd kids.  The second year we pretty much doubled it to 90-some.

This year we have 400 tickets reserved to help kids.

You read that right.  No zeros have been misplaced.  100 tickets for us, 400 for them.  One amazing night that one way or another you should be a part of.

Some blogs (GoldenStateofMind comes to mind) have approached these total numbers of tickets sold, if I recall correctly.  But no blog to my knowledge has ever tried to do this for people beyond its readership.  I've already got people telling me I am completely nuts...that this is never going to happen.  Economy, blah-blah.  Online readers are too cynical, yadda-yadda.  But they told me I was nuts when I started blogging as well.  They were pretty sure if it wasn't shocking and under 100 words nobody would read it.  We came through and haven't looked back.  I believe this is possible too.  More than that, I believe that this is what defines us as a community and yes, as Blazer fans.  This is what makes Blazersedge different.

Obviously if this is going to happen we need your help.  Some of you will be able to by a few tickets or even a row without thinking much about it.   We need that.  If you own a business or work in a corporation that would sponsor some tickets we need that too.  E-mail me at the address below and we'll talk.  But the bulk of the tickets are probably going to come from plain old individuals who will get as much enjoyment out of sending a young person to the game as they will getting something for themselves.  The folks who have children themselves and gather their family together to save a dollar here or there until they have enough for a ticket are going to make a difference.  Maybe there's a business person out there who could skip one latte a week for a month or two and put that money towards a ticket.  Last year I heard from a lot of college students who said they'd like to help but they only have a few bucks.  If you and three friends get together and decide to buy a ticket for the game instead of seeing a movie (just once!) you have it.  Maybe the readers from the U of O want to have a friendly little competition with folks from OSU or PSU or one of the smaller colleges to see which institution can pool the most resources and get the most tickets.  I think I'd be willing to let the winner pen a post on Blazersedge describing why their school is superior to all others.  The point is, it's going to take all of us to make this happen.  But when it does happen it's going to be something nobody ever forgets...especially those 400 kids.

Here is the pertinent info:

Monday, January 25th vs. New Orleans, 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are in the purple section, $22 each.  There is a $5 service charge per ORDER, whether that order is 1 ticket or 100.  (Pooling money between friends or office mates and making a single order saves several people $5.)

100 tickets are available for readers, 400 for charity for the kids.  WHEN YOU CALL YOU MUST SPECIFY WHICH YOU ARE ORDERING FOR!  If you are ordering for yourself they will mail you the tickets.  If it's for charity they will reserve them for distribution.  PLEASE BE CLEAR when you order: for you or for the kids/charity.

The number to call is 503-797-9637. 

Let me know if you have further questions.  One ticket or a hundred, it will make a difference.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

UPDATE:  Since several folks have mentioned it, Blazersedge does have a PayPal account.  The address is blazersedge22@yahoo.com.  For those who are overseas or who wish to pay for part of a ticket without collecting friends to help with the rest, this would be a fine option.  100% of what you send will go towards tickets.

UPDATE #2:  If you guys want to get into the college thing, I'm game.  The winning university will receive a free post on Blazersedge to explain why they are superior to everything in the universe.  However we need a rep from each "U" to step up and coordinate...a person who can keep track of how many tickets have been bought for their side and perhaps drum up business on campus.  If we can get those coordinators for each side, I'm game.  Let me know.

--Dave