OPENING KICKOFF While we continue to operate in unique, uncertain and challenging times, it’s even more important to stay connected. Picking up the phone and calling a colleague just to say hello or using an e-mail message of appreciation to someone that made a difference in your life can bring a lot of joy. A boost of camaraderie and caring connects us and keep us on a positive track.
FIESTA BOWL ORGANIZATION NEWSLETTER
VOLUME 10
It is especially important to remind ourselves of those who inspired and helped us along the way. Take some time and reach out to someone in your past that inspired you or that you are thankful for having them in your life. It will be more rewarding for you but certainly appreciated by the recipient. At the Fiesta Bowl, we are five months into “working away from the office.” Certainly, there was no playbook we could refer to but our team has tried to stay focused on what we can control and to stay connected. Zoom meetings for sure, but also recently adding in ‘conversation groups’ to facilitate exchanges of ideas and to discuss work-related and current social issues. Keeping engaged and mission-focused is important for the business. Keeping engaged and socially connected is important for us to stay healthy as individuals. Let’s take that extra step of gravitating to the positive and connecting with one another.
Mike Nealy Executive Director
NEWS & NOTES Mack & Gene We’re adding some of college football’s most notable names into the Fiesta Bowl Football Focus Podcast series. After introducing 2019 Fiesta Bowl Defensive MVP and Arizona Cardinals draft pick Rashard Lawrence in July, we are pleased to roll on with College Football Hall of Fame Coach Mack Brown, who guided Texas to the 2009 Fiesta Bowl title, and longtime Ohio State and Arizona State Athletics Director Gene Smith as our next two interviews. Smith’s conversation is now live. Previous conversations included 2019 Arizona Bank & Trust Kickoff Luncheon speaker Urban Meyer, College Football Playoff Executive Director Bill Hancock, two-time Cactus Bowl coach Mike Leach, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby and four key players from the classic 2003 Fiesta Bowl between Ohio State and Miami. Go to iTunes, Google Play or Spotify on your phone and search for FIESTA BOWL FOOTBALL FOCUS or click below to subscribe and listen to the conversations with some of college football’s finest. SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
T-SHirts to support teachers Two years ago, the Fiesta Bowl partnered with local apparel leader State Forty Eight on a red t-shirt design that celebrated education. Shortly afterward, they became hot sellers. We are excited to announce another collaboration to support our Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program. Take a look at the latest design, with $8 of every shirt purchase being donated back to Fiesta Bowl Charities. By the way, the “models” you see fashioning the shirt are actual Arizona teachers who received a Wishes for Teachers grant in the past. WOMENS TANK TOP
PG 2
MENS CREW NECK
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EMPOWERING DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP
Last month, we shared about our John McLendon Minority Scholarship in partnership with NACDA and, as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion, the Fiesta Bowl Organization and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have come together to create the Empowering Diversity Scholarship. The total of $80,000 in awards was created to support Arizona minority residents who attend or plan to attend in-state, post-secondary institutions. There will be 16 recipients, each receiving a $5,000 grant for their higher education.
Applicants must be in their senior year of high school or college students attending an Arizona post-secondary institution (including community colleges) to be eligible. Other requirements are that applicants must be a minority, maintain at least a 3.0 GPA and have completed a minimum of 50 community service hours to benefit their communities.
THE APPLICATION PERIOD IS OPEN NOW THROUGH MONDAY, AUGUST 17, AT 5 P.M. PT, BY VISITING WWW.FIESTABOWL.ORG/DIVERSITYSCHOLARSHIP. F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 3
NEWS & NOTES Get Your Tickets Here If you haven’t yet secured your tickets for the 2020-21 PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl, now is the time! Doing so now gives you priority in seat location selection and being in attendance should a limited capacity protocol be in place. All PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl ticket purchasers will qualify for a full refund or credit if their in-game experience is altered for any of the following reasons: Change in seat location or number of tickets due to reduced-seating capacity/ socially distanced, Game played with no fans permitted, Game date rescheduled or Game postponement. BUY YOUR TICKETS!
Spruce up your car YEAR
The Fiesta Bowl Organization has worked with the Arizona Department of Transportation to create a custom Arizona license plate with Fiesta Bowl branding. Featuring the recognizable sunburst logo and Fiesta Bowl wordmark, the plates can be ordered at azmvdnow.az.gov starting on Monday, August 10. There are non-personalized and personalized (six character limit) versions available, in addition to a disability Fiesta Bowl plate. For every sale of the specialty plate, $17 of the proceeds support Fiesta Bowl Charities and programs across the state of Arizona that support youth, sports, and education.
Community Champion The evaluation process for Fiesta Bowl Charities’ 2020-21 grant cycle is underway, to support Arizona nonprofits that contribute to the success of their communities through youth, sports and education. Through its two annual bowl games in the Valley, the PlayStation® Fiesta Bowl and the Cactus Bowl, as well as community events throughout the year, Fiesta Bowl Charities has given more than $16.5 million across the state of Arizona in the last nine years, including $4 million in 2019-20 alone. A full Community Impact Report showcases the organization’s activities in the 2019-20 season on and off the field. Click here to see the recap. COMMUNITY IMPACT REPORT PG 4
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2019-20 COMMUNITY IMPACT $11 MILLION IN CHARITABLE GIVING OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS
NEARLY 1 MILLION
12,000+ PEOPLE IMPACTED BY 6 NEW PLAYGROUNDS/ PLAY SPACES
PEOPLE SERVED
600,000+ YOUTH SERVED
$4 MILLION
IN CHARITABLE GIVING IN THE 2019-20 GRANT CYCLE
283,480 MEALS SERVED
SEASON RECAP VIDEO
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
PG 5
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT
RAMEY PERU, VICE PRESIDENT - LAND, COLLIERS INTERNATIONAL First Year as Volunteer: 2009 First Year as Yellow Jacket Committee Member: 2010 Favorite Fiesta Bowl Game: 1987 Penn State-Miami: the first Fiesta Bowl I ever attended. I was too young to understand all the surrounding hype and backstories, but it got me hooked on the Fiesta Bowl and college football. Most Memorable Moment: Getting to ride in the Fiesta Bowl Parade with my niece & nephew in the back of a Ford Mustang Convertible as the 2011-12 Fiesta Bowl Committee Member of the Year.
Why I Serve the Fiesta Bowl: I’m an Arizona native, so I enjoy being a part of an organization whose mission is to raise the profile of and give back to the community. My Dad was a Yellow Jacket, so I grew up going to the game, Parade, 3-on-3 tournament, duck race, etc. He always spoke fondly of his memories as a YJ and he made a lot of really good friends, so once I started my career, this was the first organization I wanted to join. Interesting fact: I was an All-Arizona kicker in high school, and I played at University of Arizona. And my last name has nothing to do with the country of Peru.
Favorite Job: Team Liaison: getting a glimpse into the inner workings of elite college football programs is a tremendous experience.
PG 6
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NEWSWORTHY
Breaking the cycle of poverty: ICAN mission seeks to build a community for all VALLEY INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS
The 2003 Fiesta Bowl Changed the Course of College Football History LAND GRANY HOLY LAND
Did you miss the Fiesta Bowl Parade? Watch it Here AZFAMILY.COM
F I E S TA B O W L . O R G
Fiesta Bowl Charities helps fund creative arts program VALLEY INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPERS
Gary Ptak lost his Fiesta Bowl ring. A stranger, and compassion, brought it back SYRACUSE POST-STANDARD
Volunteer Spotlight: Joe Hourigan FIESTABOWL.ORG
PG 7
CONTACT US
S C OTT LE IGHTMAN
S E N IO R DIRECTOR OF COMMUN ICATION S 4 8 0 - 5 1 7 - 6 2 9 1 | SL EIGH TMAN @ FIESTABOWL .ORG
ALE X NAS H
CO M M UN ICATION S COORD IN ATOR 4 8 0 - 3 5 0 - 0 9 2 5 | AN ASH @ FIESTABOWL .ORG
FOLLOW US
FI E STA BO W L .O R G
PG 8
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