If you'll indulge me, I'm going to get serious and maudlin for a moment. As longtime readers of BRB know, we try to get together a handful of times each year to share in our Texans fanaticism. We call these gatherings BRBAPALOOZAs, chiefly because I'm a hack and ending anything in "-apalooza" amuses me.
The last couple of times we've held BRBAPALOOZAs, I have asked for our readers to make donations to different charitable causes. I've done this because, over the years, BRB has become an increasingly popular forum in the Texans fan community, and that popularity affords us the opportunity to do something good on a larger level. Having the opportunity to do good is worthless without the willingness to do good, and the latest BRBAPALOOZA conclusively demonstrated that this community is teeming with exceptional, caring souls.
A little more than a week before the latest BRBAPALOOZA, I wrote a post introducing The James Camden Sikes Fund to BRB. The reaction, through the comments, texts, and e-mails I received, was immediate. The story struck close to the heart of the BRB community. It didn't stop there, though.
Instead of just expressing sympathy for what the Sikes family has gone through and going on your way, BRB stepped up like it never has before. Through donations at BRBAPALOOZA and donations through the fund's website, BRBers donated $725.00 to the fund. When that amount is doubled thanks to the gracious offer of an anonymous donor, it means that BRB helped raise $1,450.00 for The James Camden Sikes Fund in a single day.
I'm not going to list everyone who donated, because I'm not sure if everyone wants that information aired and because I do not want to forget anybody. I will, however, express my sincere gratitude to all those who so selflessly parted with their hard-earned money to help the fight against cancer and to honor Jamesie's memory. You didn't have to do anything, yet you did, and that's admirable on so many levels.
If you have not yet donated to the fund, you can still do so, and the aforementioned anonymous benefactor has agreed to match all donations up to another $275.00. All you have to do to make that happen is click here, donate whatever you can ($1.00, $5.00, $10.00, whatever), and then e-mail me. I'll forward your e-mail on, and the donation will be matched (again, up to another $275.00; after that, any donations received by the fund will stand alone).
If you cannot afford to give at the present time but want to donate later, no problem. Jamesie's charity now has a permanent link on the left sidebar of BRB, so it will never be more than a click away from here.
I've always known that BRB is a special place. To see how everyone answered the bell on this only supports that truth. Thank you.