Almost two hours ago, I completed my thirty-second trip around the sun. I was wide-awake last night when TSN’s Darren Dreger broke the news that Preds captain Shea Weber had signed a massive offer sheet from the Philadelphia Flyers — the details of which are just beginning to surface. Talk about a bizarre way to kick off 32…. Add to it all that I woke up to see Jordin Tootoo, who I profiled here recently, in a Detroit Red Wings sweater, and I’m just not sure what to make of today!
But I’d like to impose on OTF readers today, and ask you for a birthday gift (while David Poile works on giving Shea Weber $110 million for my birthday).
I started a blogging tradition a couple years ago of asking people to give money to charity for my birthday, and this year it’s great to have a platform like OTF to make this ask (thanks again, Dirk!).
Many of you are already aware of the great work this organization does in the Music City, but here’s a partial list of organizations that have received grants from the Foundation, organizations that make the Foundation’s work worthwhile to me:
- Adventure Science Center (formerly the Cumberland Science Museum)
- Best Buddies Tennessee (with whom head coach Barry Trotz regularly volunteers)
- Cumberland Heights
- Fannie Battle Day Home for Children
- Gilda’s Club Nashville
- High Hopes, Inc.
- Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity
- Nashville Zoo
- Oasis Center
- Read to Succeed
- Ronald McDonald House Charities of Nashville
- St. Luke’s Community House
- Tennessee Wildlife Federation
I have donated both time and resources to nearly all of these organizations, so I’ll vouch for all of them if you’d rather direct your donation to a specific charity.
All of us will be waiting with bated breath to see where the Weber offer sheet and ongoing CBA negotiation chips fall. But other people don’t have that luxury — so I hope you’ll consider giving to the Predators Foundation, or volunteering with one of these organizations.
Thanks, and GO PREDS! #summersucksdropthepuck