Green vs Red Will Benefit Blue – Santa That Is
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Dec 1, 2011, 0 Comments
Courtesy Xochitl Mora,
7th Annual HEB Holiday Bowl to collect toys, winner gets bragging rights
Laredo,TX—Once again, it’s that time of year to help the less fortunate children of this community have a wonderful Christmas.
The 7th Annual Holiday Bowl is scheduled for Saturday, December 10, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the LISD Shirley Field football field. In the great tradition of the BCS bowl games, this football game delivers a lot of fun for the community, and more importantly, serves as a great fundraiser to help support the City of Laredo Police Department’s Blue Santa program. This entertaining flag football game pits folks from the media – in green – against representatives and employees from the City of Laredo – in red – in a classic game of the pigskin. Entrance to the game is an unwrapped new toy, or $5, which is donated to Blue Santa, who last year delivered toys to over 1,300 needy girls & boys.
This year, the list of needy kids in the community has jumped to over 1,700 children who will receive no other toy except their gift from Blue Santa.
The series is tied at 3-3, after a slaughter last year by the media (cough, cough, ringers), which led to their victory, so aside from helping Blue Santa, bragging rights are on the line. Seriously.
“While for many, the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, there are countless more young children in Laredo who do not get to experience the joy and excitement of opening up presents on Christmas morning,” said Dist. VIII Cm. Cindy Liendo Espinoza, who, along with Dist. VII Cm. Jorge Vera, are leading the charge to host the event.“Since the true spirit of Christmas is giving, the City of Laredo is proud to host and sponsor the Holiday Bowl to collect toys for Blue Santa as he makes Christmas merry for needy boys and girls throughout Laredo.”
According to Cm. Vera, District VII, he noticed that everyone who participated always had so much fun helping a wonderful cause. Additionally, spectators are treated to a great football game, which mirrors the revelry, and good-natured rivalry, that make bowl games so exciting.
“This is a great community event, because everyone who comes to the game can make a small donation to help some needy kids and have fun watching a good football game,” Vera said.
Along with council members Liendo-Espinoza and Vera, also helping to sponsor and host the event are members of the Laredo City Council, including: Dist. I Cm. Mike Garza; and Dist. II Cm. Esteban Rangel.
“Christmas is a time of love, family, faith, and for kids, Santa Claus and toys,” said Cm. NAME. “Unfortunately for some kids in Laredo, they may not have all the blessings of Christmas that we have. That’s why we are inviting you to come join us at the 7th Annual Holiday Bowl,” he concluded.
As a special added bonus, the Laredo Rattlesnakes will donate a ticket voucher to every person who attends the 7th Annual Holiday Bowl and donates the $5 or new unwrapped toy for the Laredo Police Department’s Blue Santa program. Additionally, the coach of the Laredo Rattlesnakes, Rod Miller, will serve as a celebrity coach for both the media and the City of Laredo, splitting his time in sharing wisdom for one team during the first half, the other during the second half.
“The City of Laredo should be commended for hosting such events that help the youth of the community,” said Coach Miller. “Toys on Christmas morning makes kids feel special and gives them hope that things will get better. Additionally, I am honored to represent the Laredo Rattlesnakes in this endeavor, whose team will serve as an example to young athletes of how hard work and dedication can help make their dreams come true,” he concluded.
As a special tribute to the late Ray Gomez, KGNS-Pro8News news director who passed away the week before the game two years ago organizers created the Ray Gomez MVP Award to honor outstanding play on the field. According to organizers, Gomez was a great supporter of the HEB Holiday Bowl and a HUGE Dallas Cowboys fan, Once again, one stand-out player who shows the same grit and determination that Gomez displayed in his years at the station will be named the game’s Ray Gomez MVP.
“This is a fitting tribute for a man who was a die-hard Dallas Cowboys’ fan,” added Vera.
While both sides are busy getting their ringers for the team, the media has already started to put together a winning team. Co-Captain’s David Vasquez, aka as “Kash Kasanova,” Director of Production for Border Media and On-Air Personality on 106.1 and Bryan Benway, director of The Bryan Benway Show on Border Media’s ESPN The Zone Sports show once again promise a game that fans, and the City of Laredo, won’t soon forget.
But of course, both sides agree that the real winners will be the children who are served by Blue Santa’s labor of love.
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus – a Blue Santa Claus that is,” said Sergeant Rigoberto Rodriguez, head of the Laredo Police Department’s Community Relations Unit outreach program that helps Laredo’s neediest kids have a wonderful Christmas holiday.
Sponsors for this event include: AT&T; Blue Top; City of Laredo (various departments); Crane Engineering; Gilpin Engineering; HEB; LNV Engineers; Madison Interest, Inc.; Pancho’s Transportation; Puig Engineering; RZ Communications; Southern Distributing; Westwind Homes; and X-treme Point are just some of the sponsors who have come on board to make the event a complete success.
Additionally, the “Bordertown” officers will be on hand, taking pictures, signing autographs or just talking to Laredoans about what they do to help keep Laredo safe.
Without the media partners, however, the game would not be a success at all. Media partners are key to participating in the game, as well as promoting the event.
“This game is about family, and at the end of the day, whatever the score on the scoreboard, we are all family and this event could not happen without the support and promotion of our media partners,” concluded Liendo.
“On behalf of Blue Santa and the Laredo Police Department, I must admit, while the children are the ones who get a present from Blue Santa, the rest of the community are truly the ones who get a gift: the gift of seeing a sheer joy and happiness on the face of a child who had no hope of receiving anything on Christmas, and has now received a toy from Blue Santa,” concluded Sgt. Rodriguez.
