Dear TYAC Reader,
As I reflect on the last year and a half of The Yanks Are Coming’s existence, innumerable moments and memories come to mind that could only be described as fortuitous. From being bestowed the opportunity by US Soccer to cover USMNT matches from the press box to growing a steady readership base, I could not have imagined the success we’ve come to enjoy mere months ago. While my writers and I are often relegated to eating 89 cent chicken burritos from Denise at Taco Bell, our dedication to the site has always been predicated on our passion for soccer rather than monetary gain. Yet, I do concede I occasionally fall victim to waxing poetic about a not-too-distant-future in which my staff rocks DaMarcus Beasley-esque bling and Puck spends his afternoons swimming in a pool full of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer.
Ah yes, a boy can dream.
Surprisingly enough, we somehow find time to have lives beyond the confines of our lovely little blog (though my schedule may belie such a statement). We are lawyers, businessmen, graduate students, musicians, husbands, sons and fathers with interests that run the gamut of any spectrum. One of our writers, in particular, has left me deeply in awe of his selfless behavior, which seeks to better the lives of those less fortunate than himself. For senior writer Neil W. Blackmon, doing whatever he can to lessen the burden of children with cancer serves as a sobering reminder of his fruitful existence and the importance of helping others.
In a showing of sheer compassion and solidarity, Neil’s long blond locks (picture a young Owen Wilson) will be shaved off on April 3rd at the 57th Fighter Group Restaurant in Atlanta, GA through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. By shaving his head, Neil’s new hairless appearance will honor two young children, Audrey and Matthew, whose lives have been affected by leukemia. Additionally, Neil has created a fundraising campaign with hopes of raising money to fund childhood cancer research.
Aware of America’s economic climate, I write not explicitly in search of your donation in the form of money, but rather your ability to raise the awareness of what we deem to be an outstanding opportunity to make a difference. Maybe you can’t donate $20 or shave your head, that’s fine. All I ask is that you pass the word along in the form of a tweet or a blog post to raise consciousness of what Neil and so many others are doing to help give children the chance to live their lives.
To read more about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and how you can help, please click here.
Thank you,
Daniel Seco