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National Football League,
Major League Baseball, and
College Licensing Organization's.
Share the Spirit
At SpiritCups we recognize the tireless dedication you and your volunteers contribute to your special organization. Our 'Share the Spirit' page is a perfect tool for rewarding athletic achievement, scholastic success, your favorite coach, your favorite mentor or someone who should be recognized. Please email your stories and photos to johna@braxltd.com . And please pass along the SpiritCups story to more organizations, and help make a difference!
Patricia L. Glaze - Mid Valley Youth Titans
Frank Priami - USA Football
Special Volunteer Recognition
My name is Judy Henke and I am the teacher of the Nickerson High School quilting class. We just received our cups and I noticed in your flyer that you would like for us to recognize special volunteers within our class/organization. The students loved the cups and they were fun to sell.
I would like to recognize 2 special volunteers (they are equally deserving for two very different reasons).
1. McKenna Deckard - She is my head volunteer who tallied the cup orders, collected the money and organized the individualized orders. She spent many hours on this and used a computer program to organize her information.
2. Ashley Gray - She is a very hard working young individual. I tried a fundraiser for this group to help these students with expenses for their quilts, their t-shirts and a fieldtrip. She worked very hard and sold over half of the cups ordered so she could have money to purshase personal needs and to help the organization out too. I am very proud of her. She works 30 plus hours a week and is a full time student.
Judy Henke - Nickerson High School
For the past 9 years, Digger Phelps has been an integral part of WNDU's Pack A Backpack. This effort helps provide kids in the Michiana area an equal opportunity to get a good start in the school year by providing backpacks and school supplies for those in need. Digger Phelps makes an annual $5000.00 donation in person, and has encouraged similar participation. It is a testament to his efforts that up to 6000 kids may be helped this year alone.
As a gift to Digger Phelps, John Reisdorf, our SpiritCups Midwest Sales manager presented him with 8 SpiritCups, ones that provided a chronology of his son-in-law's career in Major League Baseball. Jamie Moyer of the Philadelphia Phillies is his son-in-law. From the Cubs, to the Rangers, to the Orioles, to the Cardinals, and the Mariners, the Red Sox, and currently with the defending World Series Champions, the Philadelphia Phillies. The cups were a small token of our thanks to the Phelps family for all they do in making a difference for those around them.
Dear Coaches, Parents, Volunteers, Teachers and Friends,
It has been a very busy year for the Spirit Cup team and we are so thankful for the opportunity to be of service to you with regards to your fundraising needs.
This photo is of our Spirit Cup Customer Care and Shipping team. We are so proud of them for there excellent work that they do and they, as all of us at the Spirit Cup family, are committed to Making a Difference One Team at a Time.
Thanks again for allowing us to be part of your team.
Regards,
John C. Alexander, SpiritCups Partner
I supported a youth group today by purchasing SpiritCups! The guy who does my pest control showed me his son's SpiritCups fundraiser to see if I was interested. He was telling me how great the cups were and I laughed and pulled mine from my kitchen cabinet. They are my family favorites, hands down. I told him it was an awesome fundraiser and how great everyone at BRAX is.
Heather Portnoy
Indiana University Fan at Boynton Beach
Our organization conducted a Spirit Cup fundraiser to assist the kids (football players) in paying their fee's and for the Cheerleader's to raise money for their uniform package. Parents who sold cups and already had their fees paid we asked them if their money could go to a kid who's fee was not paid and they were more than happy to do so. Our organization strives to provide a structured activity to keep the kids focused, to teach them the game, how to interact together and what sportsmanship is all about. Although we did not sell an enormous amount of cups what was sold did help a number of kids whose family would not have been able to pay for them to participate.
Revieta Lampley
Mid-Town Panthers-Columbus, Ohio
Maggie Reisdorf continues passion for softball
Maggie Reisdorf is carrying on her grandfather's love for the game of softball. Maggie, an eighth-grader at John Young Middle School, was named 2008 Miss National Softball Association during the Class B NSA Northern World Series, held in Peoria, Ill. The title was extra special for Maggie since it was the first year she played softball for the Mishawaka Bandits — a team her grandfather founded. Maggie is the daughter of Stacy (Petko) and John Reisdorf, of Mishawaka. Her grandfather, Emery Petko, died from cancer in 2005. He was the head coach of Mishawaka High School softball for 16 years, coached Little League for 33 and was founder of Maggie's youth softball team.
Besides being an athlete, Maggie was selected Miss NSA because of her academic and civic activities. She has been an American Cancer Society Relay for Life participant and a team captain along with her mother since 2003, when her grandfather was diagnosed with cancer. Her grandmother, Peggy Petko, became a breast cancer survivor after his death. In the past three years, the team has raised $19,000 and is currently working on a goal of $12,000 more to be raised this year.
"I was a big part of his life, often sang the national anthem at home games and loved watching him coach," Maggie said in her Miss NSA application. "After his passing, I encouraged my grandmother to set up the Emery Petko Memorial Scholarship fund so that girls coming through the Bandit softball program and the Mishawaka High School softball program would have some financial assistance when they go to college."
So far, Maggie's family has awarded $500 scholarships to nine recipients who excelled in athletics and academics while finding time to be civic minded. "John and I are proudest not just because she is a great student and athlete, but more than that, she really cares for the community," said her mother, Stacy. Maggie encourages youth to explore their potential by participating in sports, academics and volunteerism. Her athletic achievements include NSA softball, varsity volleyball, basketball and track. She holds the school record in the discus throw. She has a 4.0 grade point average, was a regional and state champion in National History Day 2008, and was elected student council secretary in 2008. For the past five years, Maggie has been a "Pack-A-Backpack" volunteer and volunteered for ALS and public television fundraisers. Her goal is to be an academic all-state softball player, to play softball in college and study in the medical field.
Dear SpiritCups
I have a funny story to tell you... here's the background... we are out at Camp Pendleton to do a big joint Navy and Army exercise... I went to see a doctor in San Diego about a cough I've had for the past 3 weeks... the only thing I had to eat was breakfast and nothing to drink all day... so needless to say my body was not in the condition it should have been... anyways I went to work as soon as I got back from the doctors... we were on deck lifting a 110 ton tug boat into the water when I started feeling lightheaded... I slowly tried to back away from everyone and make sure I was out of the way when I collapsed.. apparently it freaked everyone out and people were yelling man down and calling for the corpsman so I was later told... well all I remember is leaning trying to keep myself on my feet and the next thing I know I'm laying flat on the deck with 8 people over asking if I'm alright... now here's the part that involves you... my captain happened to be one of the people standing over me with some water in none other than a Boston College Spirit Cup.. so that was totally random and funny... anyways he said it's his favorite cup... SpiritCups are everywhere... so you must be doing a good job... hope all is well.
Luke Balchunas
US NAVY
The Fort Wayne Fire Girls 14-U Softball Team
In Northern Indiana, on a clear June evening, teams came together for softball games at Twin Branch Park in Mishawaka. It happens this way all over the country, what made this special? This night was special, for it wasn't a tournament, nor a championship; it was only an exhibition, which is exactly where the girls from one of the teams was headed. The Fort Wayne Fire Girls 14-U softball team coach had arranged several games along the state line to give his girls some playing experience and also some life experience.
They had a double header Wednesday, one against the Mishawaka Bandits, and one against the Jimtown J-Shock. On Thursday, after staying near Notre Dame, they had a Thursday doubleheader with the South Bend Twist, then Thursday night they went to see the US Olympic Softball team in action at Belleville Park in South Bend.
The Olympians put on quite an offensive and defensive display, winning against the College All Star team 19-0.
The Olympians are on a 46 US city tour, and the coach of the Fort Wayne Fire, Jerry Shillinger, ran a fundraiser with BRAX with the intention of including this special experience in with his summer slate of games and tournaments. It was the only stop the Olympians made in Indiana. "Some of the girls playing are here because of the Spirit Cup fundraiser", Shillinger said.
What a great way to do something for the kids, as a team, together... it's not all games and competition, but at some point it is a "love of the game" playing and traveling, and to see some of the state, and some of the best softball in the world. The smiles were evident, on the players, on the coaches, and the parents. Included here is a picture of the Fire, from a second place finish in Selma, Indiana in August of 2007. Thanks, Jerry, not only for partnering with BRAX SpiritCups in your teams' success story, but also for sharing your love of the game with us all!
Emery Petko
His commitment to the game will never be forgotten, and we want to know who the people are in your community that deserve recognition. Give us your stories, of the people who do it from the heart, for the love of the game, for making a difference in the lives of our youth. BRAX would like to honor those individuals behind the teams-- the organizers, the planners, the difference makers! Let us celebrate them with your pictures, your comments, your congratulations, and your thanks. We want to help in all phases of your success, not just with fundraising, but with team development and recognition as well! Take the time to visit our website and see not only testimonials from fundraising, but meet some real difference makers! We owe a lot to those who came before us, let no one forget the difference they made!
John Reisdorf
I am writing to let you know of a special volunteer who went above and beyond for our recent SpiritCups Sale. Her name is Melissa Church. Not only did she help promote our sale, she sold most of our demo cups by herself, and is organizing our distribution date which is tomorrow.
This fundraiser was one of the most successful ever, if not the most successful ever for any of our athletic teams.
Best regards,
Mike Isbell
Clifton Middle School
thanks Gail Pylant
Congratulations Mackayla!
SpiritCups would like to recognize Mackayla Probasco (pictured center) of the New Egypt Warriors, in Burlington County Pop Warner. Mackayla was awarded Pop Warner Little Scholar 2007. Mackayla won the award because of good grades, public service, singing in a christian community choir and volunteering in a summer kids camp. Pop Warner rewarded her with two tickets to an Eagles game and on field passes prior to the game. Congratulations Mackayla and we look forward to recognizing the 2008 winners!
Meet Ron Nielsen - UTAH Coaching Legend
BRAX is proud to recognize a special coach from the far reaches of Utah, meet Ron Nielsen. A proud father of three boys, and three girls, Ron has become a coaching staple in the youth sport community outside of Salt Lake City. After serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean war, Ron and his wife of 50 years started giving back to the kids and the youth surrounding their community. Having played both college football and basketball, Ron had plenty of knowledge to pass down.
