Seth

'Tis this season:

Saturday, December 7 is that annual charity event I help coordinate and MGoBlog readers have helped keep alive. Each year in early December we go to a couple of homeless shelters and throw the kids in there a giant Christmas party. There's photos with Santa, games, dancing, arts & crafts, nail painting, food, etc. Then while the young 'uns are distracted, their parents "shop" for gifts for them in a "gift store" filled with donated new toys and stuff, a goodly portion of which MGoReaders sent from Amazon. Then everyone comes together for pizza and cake and dancing.

We call it "Adopt a Shelter." There are two sites:

1. Salvation Army's Denby Center (formerly the Booth Evangeline Center). A big party run by Mitch Albom's Time to Help organization (one I'm at). Key person is Rachel Williams.
2. Genesis II House. A great women and children's shelter where Julie has kept the event going.

My involvement is closer with the former. For the latter Julie needs about 20 volunteers, each who bring gift donations. Hers is a bit more low-key. Email Julie if you want to volunteer there [UPDATE 12/2: They still need about 7 more volunteers). As for the Denby Center one, a bit more detail:

Stocking the Store

We need gifts.

Gift donations should be unwrapped, tasteful, and between $15-$20. Stuff that needs batteries should come with batteries. No guns, no swords, no violent comic books. Historically we tend to fall short with stuff for young moms.

• AGE RANGE: The age of the children range from 9 months to 16 years old. Here's the numbers the shelter expected to have as of this week:

  Age of Residents	Boys	Girls
  Age 0-2	10	11
  Age 3-5	5	5
  Age 6-10	5	10
  Age 11-14	6	5
  Age 15-17	-	6
  Adults (Age 19-68)	-	67

• SIZES: A variety of sizes ranging from newborn to 3X are needed. The larger sizes (2X and 3X are for girls.)
• TOYS: Age-appropriate toys and educational toys are needed.
• CLOTHES: Winter in Detroit. Also a reminder that all young adults and teens, no matter their station, care about style. It may seem counterintuitive but one really nice thing is more appreciated than a package of four just-the-thing things.
• TOILETRIES: All types of toiletries are needed, except NOTHING with ALCOHOL in it. Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Body Lotion, Women’s Deodorant, Body Wash, Soap, Washcloths, Towels.

How much stuff each family gets depends on how much stuff is donated. The remainder is always left to the shelters since they—as you can imagine—have a high turnover. Before March it's all given out.

For the last few years we've found putting up an Amazon Wish List makes it pretty easy—you're welcome to find things not on the list. Gifts are usually $15-$20. But you don't have to use that—for example Moe's is having a 30% off sale today.

Things they asked for specifically: Leap Frog/other learning games, Puzzles, Winter Clothes/Gear (children and women's M, L, and XL especially), Barbies, Super Hero Toys, Legos, Winter Coats, Toy Trucks, Baby Dolls, Adult Pajamas, Clothing and Accessories for Newborns, Baby Strollers for Parents, Brat Dolls, Pants/Leggings, Little People Toys, Board Games, Baby Alive Dolls, Toddler Toys, Books, Hand Soap, Deodorant, Tooth Brushes/Toothpaste, Lotion, Baby Wipes, Diapers, Feminine Products, Socks for Adult Women and Children, Underwear for Adult Women and Children

For donations to the Booth party, send them to Detroit Rescue Ministries (default address on that wish list link) at:

Time to Help Christmas Party
c/o Rachel Williams
150 West Stimson Street
Detroit, MI  48201

Poor Rachel's office is usually just completely stacked with boxes by Friday.

Volunteering

Join us on Saturday, December 7, 2013.  One thing you might do is try to pump out 190 photos with Santa from two little portable printers (yes they'll both be working this year—sorry about that). Another is serve bagels. Or man the gift store. Or one lady reader last year came up with the idea of having the kids make picture frames for their Santa photos.

Site info:

Denby Center

20775 Pembroke
Detroit, MI. 48219
Phone 313.537.2130

South of 8-mile between Evergreen and Lahser

Set up will begin at 8 a.m., and the party will be open to the residents beginning at 10 a.m. with an ending time of 1 p.m.

The party, which will provide breakfast and lunch to those in attendance, as well as an arts and craft station for children, a manicure and spa room for the mothers, a game center for teens, a store for the mothers to shop for their children and Santa and Mrs. Clause at the end, will need full volunteer support!

We are asking each volunteer to bring at least 1 gift to include in our gift shop. To register for the event go to http://atimetohelp.org/volunteer.htm (it's the only event on the calendar at the moment since the 2014 calendar isn't up yet).

Vendors

I will have an updated list shortly for what we don't have confirmed, since this has changed since I checked in last. But I believe we still need:

• Breakfast confections (donuts, bagels, orange juice, coffee, fruit, etc.)
• Games for teen game center
• Ice cream and cake
• Arts and crafts materials
• Nail salon artists and nail polish
• Holiday decorations

Contact

Rachael Williams
A Time to Help Coordinator
SAY Detroit
RWilliams@drmm.org
313-993-4700 ext. 4715

Why Is a Charity on a Sports Blog?

Because I'm involved and I work here, dammit. But some backstory: this event used to be one of two put on by Volunteer Impact (I was a board member of that), which mostly existed to help service organizations find volunteers for their projects, but had a few signature events of its own. This was one of those events.

When we closed down VI, we lost the donor base for this and the other thing. It looked for a time like it would end, until 1) Mitch Albom, through his Time to Help organization, and longtime volunteer Julie Kroflich, stepped up to keep their two sites alive; and 2) Brian let me put up a post on it and MGoBloggers came through, stocking the store with donations and showing up to volunteer. Since then MGoBloggers' donations have been the engine that's kept it going.

The other event was "Hands on Detroit," a Detroit spring cleanup thing that the Ilitch Foundation took over. They meet at Comerica Park on a Saturday and go around making the city look nice for summer.

Can't I Just Give You Money?

Yeah, but give it to the organization putting the event not, not me. If you can't find something on the Amazon lists above, donate to S.A.Y. Detroit, the umbrella organization Time to Help, and specify in the comments that this is for the "Time to Help Christmas Party."

Thanks!

[Moved to Diaries to keep folks informed]

[Update 11/13: Todd Howard is confirmed]

[Update 11/7: Talked to some former players, who are going to try to come. A lot of guys coach so if the season's over (ie they lose in the playofffs) they'll make it.]

Q: What's the exact opposite of the East Lansing experience?

A: The Evanston experience.

Northwestern fans are eminently likeable, not that you really need to be alone on a purple sea since half the seats in Ryan are going to be filled with people in maize:

The above is the t-shirt that people going on the Northwestern trip with Sports Power Weekends will receive, along with a game ticket, hotel room for two nights, transportation, gift cards, and an MGoStore discount. For Friday night's entertainment, Jared of SPW has engaged the services of…US GUYS.

There's still some spots left on the SPW trip and I highly recommend you jump on that if you're considering going to the NW game—it gets down to just $350/person if you can get three of your friends to come along.

Since we'll be there anyway we'd like to also invite any readers from Chicago to come join us at:

Which is a huge (as in we get lots of space) Michigan bar. Details-like things:

When: Friday, November 15, from 6-9PM CST.

Where: Moe's Cantina River North 155 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654, one block north of the Chicago River between LaSalle and N Wells. M: Merchandise Mart.

What: Q&A Session with Brian, and talking with people who don't need it explained that we had a true freshman guard starting against Max Bullough, i.e. other MGoBlog readers.

RSVP below, or show up.

Mike Murphy, Michigan's first head coach

Got word from The Bentley Library today that they'll be offering extended hours on November 8 (Friday before the Nebraska game), staying open from 5pm to 8 pm. Greg Kinney and Brian Williams will be giving a presentation on some of Michigan's football firsts showing some of the unique photos and documents available at the Bentley.

They'll also offer extending viewing hours for the "Harmon of Michigan" exhibit and at least one showing of the 1965 TV program "One Saturday Afternoon" celebrating the 25th anniversary of Harmon's extraordinary 1940 season featuring game footage and interviews with Harmon, Crisler and Forest Evashevski. They'll also show Yost's 1st contract, the original team #1 photo and other gems to highlight some unique aspects of Michigan's football history.

It lives. And so does the DraftStreet deal.

MGoBlog's new preview of the basketball and hockey teams is running through the printing press right now. Our 100% indie book is the same length as the football one—128 pages—and split about 2/3rds to hoops with the back 44 pages switching to State Street. The first copies should begin arriving in about two weeks. We sprung (for like $2k) for 1st class shipping for the Kickstarter backers this time so we can track orders and get them all to you expeditiously.

About the DraftStreet Deal:

So like the football book we've made this one $15.00 (if you get it shipped that'll tack on about $5.00 more depending on where you live). However thanks to our online fantasy game partner, if you don't have a Draftstreet account yet, you can still have it for $15 straight-up AND keep your $15 as a deposit on DraftStreet AND get another $15 in your account on top of that. Take that link to get here:

… and create your account. You'll also be able to use our code (77HATESDONKEYS but it should automatically apply if you take that link) on Draft Street for 100% on top of whatever you put down (so if for $15 you get $30.00 in your Draft Street account and a copy of HTTV Hoops and Hockey sent to you). When you're done with that they'll send you an email with a code to input into our store (make sure you use the link in that email) and a code to use there for free shipping. Once I've got word your deposit is in I can send a book.

Super bonus: This method of buying the book is most beneficial to us since we get paid double per book.

So to review:

1. Take this link right here to the offer page.
2. Create a new account on Draftstreet and deposit $15 or more, then watch whatever you deposited double (use the code 77HATESDONKEYS if it doesn't)
3. As soon as you put in your deposit, DraftStreet will send you an email with a special link back to our store, and a code to use there to get you free shipping. If you don't receive an email, contact larry@draftstreet.com and he'll get you squared away.

Caveats: there are some. 1) Limit's one per customer. 2) They're looking for new members so if you've already got an account there (even a free one) you'll be locked out, at least on that email address. Also locked out: Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Vermont, and Montana. Apologies to hockey fans in Louisiana and Arizona—try the store,

Order from the MGoStore It is $15.00. Shipping will make it about $20 depending on where you live and taxes, for example it's $21.49 to first-class it if you live in Michigan, $21.62 to send it to your cottage in Evanston, and $20.27 to have it sent to Louisiana Ice Arena in Carencro, LA, or the White House.

In Local Storentus Any Underground Printing outlet—including Moe's—in Ann Arbor will have it, and I may have some other venues in the coming weeks (if you have a store and would like to have a few copies there email me.

To see what's inside and who helped put it there, hit the jump.

Seth/Jared under the (apparently) bright lights.
Smiles because we thought the OL problems were just Nix & Tuitt

Big Ten road games start next week. Most of the MGoBlog staff (Brian, me, Ace, Heiko, the photographers) will all be at Penn State and most of us will be going to Northwestern as well.

Making a lot of this travel possible this year has been support from MGoBlog sponsor and supporter Sports Power Weekends. Jared has put on successful trips for Michigan fans for the Notre Dame and UConn games already this season, and will be bringing a group of 150+ alums from NYC and DC to Penn State next week (the hotel rooms are sold out). While spots remain, now is the time to lock in your trip for Nebraska and Ohio State in Ann Arbor, as well as Northwestern and Iowa on the road!

This company comes through, as attested in the diary from from HAIL 2 VICTORS after he did the Notre Dame weekend.

Jared handles the hotels, gets you awesome seats, and plans extra events around each game. Check them out, and book your trip.

If you're already on his PSU or Northwestern trips, we'll see you there!

Michigan basketball standout Tom Harmon [Bentley online library]

When I dropped off copies of HTTV to thank the Bentley Library they offered me a tour of the stacks. Among the unbelievable treasures they've accumulated in there one was several shelves worth of just-donated Tom Harmon memorabilia. Boxed as it was it was hard to get a sense of what was in there—war artifacts, lots of tape of his career as a broadcaster, a fake Michigan helmet somebody made for him, phone numbers for every beautiful starlet of the 1940s…

Michigan war hero Tom Harmon [Bentley]

That has now been sorted through and made into an exhibit. Press release? Press release:

Harmon of Michigan

The Bentley Historical Library is pleased to announce the opening of an exhibit, “Harmon of Michigan” focusing on the life and career of University of Michigan football legend Tom Harmon. The exhibition, in conjunction with the "unretiring" of Harmon's famed number 98 jersey this season, highlights Harmon’s college career at Michigan, both as a student and an athlete. Using archival documents, photographs, and artifacts, including material recently acquired through Harmon’s son, Mark Harmon, the exhibit traces Harmon’s career as the University of Michigan’s first Heisman Trophy winner, World War II pilot and war hero, and a pioneering radio and television broadcaster. The exhibit is curated by Greg Kinney.

The exhibit runs from September 3 to December 20, 2013.

Exhibit Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.

If you're wandering around campus on Saturday with not a clue what to do with yourself since the game's not until 8, wander up to North Campus and the Bentley for a special event.

Michigan broadcaster Tom Harmon [Bentley]

Special Event: September 7, 2013, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

On September 7, the day of the Note Dame game, at which Tom Harmon will be honored, the Bentley Library will have special exhibit viewing hours. There will also be repeated showings of the 1965 television program “One Saturday Afternoon.” Produced on the 25th anniversary of Harmon’s Heisman Trophy win, the program was hosted by Bing Crosby. “One Saturday Afternoon” includes archival footage of Harmon’s Michigan football exploits, interviews with Michigan coach Fritz Crisler and teammate Forest Evashevski. The program also features some rare footage of Harmon’s early days as a television broadcaster and variety show host.

The Bentley Historical Library is located on the University of Michigan’s North Campus at 1150 Beal Avenue.

Campus Bus - North Commuter, Bonisteel Boulevard and Beal Avenue stop.

For further information contact the Bentley Historical Library by phone at (734) 764-3482 or contact Greg Kinney at gkinney@umich.edu.

Now go argue about whether they should retire 98. My feeling is if you're going to leave just one alone it should be that one.

Besides starring in multiple other sports, defeating the Nazis, and many years of success in broadcasting, people sometimes forget Harmon was a decent football player too. [Bentley]