New Orleans is no stranger to the devastation of massive hurricanes, and that’s why Sideline Pass was proud to partner with the Better Than Ezra Foundation and the Irving Morris Foundation to raise money and deliver supplies to the victims of this year’s storms in Texas and Florida. A huge shout out to Tsunami for hosting us for dinner! They donated 15% of the tab to our efforts. It was a win/win for everyone who was able to enjoy amazing food and great friends - plus help out our neighbors in need..
Junior Journalism Day
December was a busy month! Sideline Pass joined forces with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation to launch a Junior Journalism program! Our junior writers and photographers enjoyed the unique opportunity of covering Media Day for the R & L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, with the help of some of the most prestigious professional journalists and photographers in the Greater New Orleans area! Each junior journalist teamed up with one of these professional mentors to photograph and/or interview the players and coaches participating in the R & L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, which featured the ULL Ragin’ Cajuns versus the Golden Eagles of USM. The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation then featured the work of every junior journalist on its website. Fabulous work ladies! Check out the final product: https://sites.google.com/site/jrjournalismgnosf/
A huge thanks to Sam Joffray at The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, as well as our mentors: Juan Kincaid (Fox 8 Sports Director), Liz Reyes (Fox 8 News Anchor), Sean Fazende (Fox 8 Sports Anchor/Reporter), Doug Mouton (WWL TV Sports Anchor), Tamica Lee (WWL Traffic Reporter), Mike Detillier (WWL Sports Radio Host), Kati Morse (Tulane Athletics), Lauren Cason (New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau), Debbie Grant (VP of Public Relations for Tulane University), Caitlin Piper (The Earhardt Group), Trent Spann (Images by Robert T), Laura Bergerol Photography, Geovanni Velasquez (Black and Geauxld Photography) and Kathy Anderson Photography. Everyone had a wonderful time, and our junior journalists gained a wealth of knowledge and experience.
Toy Drive and Delivery Day
The New Orleans community’s generosity was once again amazing and humbling! We collected thousands of gifts through our donation sites at One Shell Square, The Rice Mill Lofts, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouses, and Stein Mart, in addition to what was collected at the kick-off party. Delivery Day was exciting and long! Our Sideline Pass elves first brought several car loads of toys and gifts to The Haven Women and Children’s Shelter in Houma. We then returned to New Orleans to re-load the sleighs and head to Rain Tree Family Services with gifts for our foster girls, as well as the children Rain Tree services throughout the community. Unbelievably, Rain Tree’s goal is to have ONE gift for every child they service come Christmas time. Through the New Orleans community’s generosity, Sideline Pass could help Rain Tree meet and exceed that goal. We don’t think that one gift per child is enoughJ
Toy Drive Kick Off Party
This year, Sideline Pass kicked off our second annual holiday toy and gift drive with another Thursday Night Football tailgate party in the winter wonderland of Ruth Chris’ patio on Fulton Street! Special guests included Saints players and alums Tom Morstead, Justin Drescher, Will Lutz, Jeff Charleston, Jabari Greer and Fred McAfee. Pelicans players and coaches jumped in on the action as well, including Langston Galloway, Alexis Ajinca, Phil Weber, Robert Pack and Darren Erman. WWL radio’s Mike Detillier was also a special guest. The price of admission - simply the donation of a toy or holiday gift for our foster girls and flood victims at Copper Mill Elementary School in Zachary. We had a packed turnout, as guests filled our sleigh with gifts, enjoyed our Envog Photo Booth courtesy of Daniel Nguyen and visited with the players and coaches. Our emcees for the night kept the party going – thank you WWL TV’s Tamica Lee and Super Fan JJ Robertson! Silent auction items included donations from Reagan Charleston Fine Jewelry, The Boulder Lounge (Kelsey Confreda), Better Than Ezra (Delery Cook), New Orleans Fashion Week (Tracee Dundas) and the Optimum Cut and Blow Dry from Biba Isla Salon (Biba Isla). Thank you so much ladies for your generosity!
New Orleans Boulder Lounge
Climbing to new heights: figuratively and literally! Sideline Pass kicked off 2016 with a day at New Orleans Boulder Lounge – the city’s newest boulder climbing gym!
We teamed up with Girls on the Run once again for a fantastic afternoon of exercise and inspiration. Our athletes and mentors learned how to dominate the boulder walls - thanks to expert instruction, athletic skill and a little bravery. It’s harder than it looks, but also a ton of fun!
Our generous mentors shared their stories of struggle and success before and after the climbing adventure. Mentees heard from Louisiana Supreme Court attorney Alanah Odoms Hebert, Sunbelt Conference Sideline Reporter Kati Morse, WWL sports anchor Leslie Spoon, actress Lila Blake Palmer, network TV producer Colleen Snyder, counselor Danielle McAllister, attorney Chelsea Cusimano, Fox Sports sideline reporter Jennifer Hale as well as engineer & Miss Louisiana Fammy Famularo.
We also loved getting the scoop on our hostess, Kelsey Confreda, who owns the Boulder Lounge, in addition to pursuing her master’s degree at Tulane University. Talk about a young lady who does it all!
A huge thank you to Kelsey, as well as the ICAN Foundation for providing healthy snacks. Chevron, artist Martha Adams, philanthropist Terry Snyder - plus Wink Design and Events – graciously provided awesome swag bags filled with goodies when our afternoon ended.
We’ll see everyone next month!
