So yep as I’ve been hinting at for weeks we’re doing a tailgate this Saturday for Marlin Jackson’s Fight for Life Foundation, and with a chance of showers at 80% we’re going to officially move our tailgate indoors and earlier in the afternoon. At least I can announce it finally:
WHAT: We’re getting together to watch the afternoon games, get some grub before the night game, and drink good beer at…
WHERE: Homes Brewery, 2321 Jackson Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48103. That’s on the west side, off Jackson Ave just east of Maple, so skip all the M-14 traffic that’s getting off on Main Street and take Maple in, then turn east onto Jackson at the Walgreens and you’ll see it on the right. Homes is a new bar that makes their own really good brews, and the owner is friends with most of our friends. Also it’s not directly in the path of gameday craziness while still a straight shot back to it. Probably want to get there a little after…
WHEN: 2pm to 5pm is when MGoBlog will be there—Marlin is coming in with Second Hardest Working Man on the Planet™ (Zack Eisendrath)’s Big Game Air trip, which probably can’t get to us until 3:30. If you don’t have a ticket of course you’re welcome to stick around after that—we figured people would want time to get down toward the stadium, and we don’t want to clog up Homes’ parking lot for their game traffic. Until then we’re going to watch football not in the rain and drink beer, because…
WHY: Because being somewhere inside that you can buy beer and food and watch football all Saturday beats standing around in the rain with Spartans? Oh, right, the reason for the event is we love Marlin Jackson’s charity, the Fight for Life Foundation:
Marlin grew up in an awful situation in Sharon, Pa., and wouldn’t have made it out except for sports programs and mentors who cared about his education, and wouldn’t give up on him. He knows from experience and from bringing in experts from the cutting edge of modern teaching techniques what kids in similar situations need to get out of the cycle of poverty and danger. Their programming:
- Building Dreams/Field of Dreams (elementary/middle), and RAP (high school) are in-school programs that provide crucial educational needs that schools in poverty zones now entirely lack.
- Seal the Deal is an after-school youth flag football program.
- Be a Blessing! follows up with the kids who've been in their programs, and provides need-based assistance to their families.
I’d probably already be a big fan of this because I’m a fan of Marlin the football player, but my wife, who’s a child psychologist who works with need-based families, was blown away when I showed her what they do.
DO I GOTTA PAY? It’s polite to give $10 to Marlin’s charity at the door but it’s not obligatory. Bring cash for a raffle. Also a shout-out to Matt Demorest for putting in a ton of legwork to make this happen.