Monday, August 6, 2012

Let the healing begin

Yes We Are! 
I've been thinking about how to post to our happy little blog for some time and have not known where to begin. We are a diverse group with, I am sure, a vast range of emotions on the topic. There are many included on this blog who aren't even PSU fans, but at one point or another have joined us in Happy Valley to experience the joy of a football Saturday. We hope you will come back to us and realize Penn State is so much more than has been perceived in the media. And as I've told others if any school is capable of overcoming such adversity, WE ARE!

The Penn State pride is always so closely associated with the football program, but those in and around Happy Valley know it is something deeper. Just ask my kids who beamed with pride as they displayed their art on campus after an amazing two weeks of camp with hard working undergrads. Just walk around campus and hear the "We are.." chant without a football field in sight or better yet be on the other side of the world and have someone chant that to you. Please if you have never done so, stand in the BJC in February when the students dance all weekend For the Kids and raise millions of dollars to fight pediatric cancer. Come to campus at 6am on a random Tuesday to share that pride with 3,000 friends, players and staff.

So many seem to be excited to come and support the team and begin to heal together. I expect our tailGREAT will likely see a surge in overall attendance (yahoo!). We are looking forward to another fantastic season of tailgating with the best!

Pam came up with a fantastic overall theme for the season :)! Since we have been banned from bowls for the next four years we are going to create our own bowl game atmosphere each week. Send me ideas for any bowls you would like to celebrate.  We'll start the first game with the Sugar Bowl.  This bowl game held in New Orleans, LA is a great start.  New Orleans should serve as inspiration for moving forward in the wake of disaster.  It is a noon kick off so as far as food goes, you could go the "Sugar" route and bring some sweet breakfast treats or you could also go the southern creole route and bring those tasty staples or you could go the "go your own way" route and bring whatever it is you'd like to share :)!  We'll bring the Mardi Gras beads :).

Pam and Donna supply many of the utensils, plates, napkins, coffee cups, aluminum food containers and sterno cups we use. To help them with this we have had folks bring an item or two to any of the tailgates throughout the year. Pam and Donna will store them and put them to good use.  Thanks much for any donation.

We'll touch base as the September 1st date gets closer. Apologies for the longer post!

Best wishes to all and hope to see you at Lot 24,
Tiffany