Nine-year-old Leigh Marie Dittman of Lutz, Fla., will represent Shriners Hospitals for Children as a patient ambassador for the 85th East-West Shrine Game.
(See Leigh and her Fathers story below)
ABOUT THE EAST-WEST SHRINE GAME
The East-West Shrine Game is the oldest
and one of the most respected of the
post-season collegiate bowl games. Since
1925, the game has been known for the
quality of the players and coaches, as
well as for the excitement of great
college football action.
But that's not what makes it "Football's
Finest Hour." What makes the East-West
Game so special is its true purpose —
helping to support Shriners Hospitals
for Children.
Every year since 1925, the East-West
Game has been played to raise funds for
Shriners Hospitals for Children and to
raise awareness about the expert
orthopaedic, burn, spinal cord injury
rehabilitation, and cleft lip and palate
care, available at no charge to patients
and families, through the 22 Shriners
Hospitals for Children.
The players themselves regard the game
in a special light, as they learn the
true purpose of the game during a
pre-game visit to the Shriners Hospital
in Tampa, Florida..
About Shriners Hospitals for
Children:
Shriners Hospitals for Children is a
one-of-a-kind international health care
system of 22 hospitals dedicated to
improving the lives of children by
providing pediatric specialty care,
innovative medical research and
outstanding teaching programs. Children
up to age 18 with orthopedic conditions,
burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft
lip and palate are eligible for care and
receive all services at no charge –
regardless of financial need. For more
information, please visit
www.shrinershospitals.org.
About Shriners International:
Shriners International is the
375,000-member fraternity that founded
and continues to operate the 22 Shriners
Hospitals for Children in the U.S.,
Canada and Mexico. Shriners
International has 191 temples (chapters)
in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the
Republic of Panama. For more information
about this great fraternity, please
visit
www.shrinershq.org.
FLORIDA WIDOWS SONS GRAND CHAPTER
GAME DAY RIDE & EVENT INFORMATION
My Brothers,
The Florida Widows Sons are all geared up to Attend The Shrine EAST WEST Football Game in Orlando on Saturday January 23rd, 2010 @ 3pm in the Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando.
WE are working on low rates for rooms and WE HAVE A OFFER WE CAN'T REFUSE FROM THE SHRINE, for every $25.00 ticket we purchase we will get $5.00 back for THE WIDOWS & ORPHANS FUND.
We have 2 brothers supplying RV's as Hospitality Wagons for the event, (we will be passing a hat to help pay for the goods that will be supplied by the wagons @ the event) THE SHRINE has arranged Parking for RV Tailgating only. BUT if we ride in with The RV's we can park with them. Our Brother Mick "DOC"` McKinley President of The Orlando Widows Sons "Knights of Solomon", is arranging for a meeting place near the Stadium for us all to meet 11:00 a.m. on January 23rd(bikes & the 2 RV's) so we can all ride in together in order for us all to be able to get into the RV parking area and park together.
MORE INFO WILL FOLLOW.
I NEED before or on December 28th a TOTAL count of how many members of YOUR Chapter will attend. Once I have that figure I will order the Tickets from The Shrine, then I will bill your Chapter for the Tickets, you will send me a self Addressed Stamped Envelope with a Check made out to THE KNIGHTS OF THE EAST. The Grand Chapter of Florida (Knights of the East) will forward the $20.00 per ticket to The Shrine & deposit $5.00 per ticket to The Florida Widows & Orphans Fund.
Brothers, I feel we can expect at least 80 members from Florida Widows Sons ALONE, we have heard that they may be interest from ALABAMA, GEORGIA, & SOUTH CAROLINA Widow Sons also, Maybe TENNESSEE may be interested (this is a suggestion since TENNESSEE is also on my mailing list). THIS IS A TELEVISED EVENT AND I WILL BE BRINGING THE STATE BANNER, As Always, Your Ladies are welcome.
Please contact Your Chapter Members ASAP & get back to me.
Stroker Joe Stella, PM
Florida Widows Sons Grand Chapter President
2010 GAME AMBASSADOR
Leigh Dittman
(Photo top of page)
Nine-year-old Leigh Marie Dittman of
Lutz, Fla., will represent Shriners
Hospitals for Children as a patient
ambassador for the 85th East-West Shrine
Game.
A fourth grader at Lutz Elementary
School, Leigh is in the gifted program
and belongs to the Odyssey of the Mind
Club. She is a huge fan of the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers football team and the Tampa
Bay Rays baseball team.
Leigh has been a patient at Shriners
Hospitals for Children — Tampa since
shortly after her birth. She was
diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta,
commonly known as brittle bone disease.
She was the youngest patient admitted
into a Shriners Hospitals for Children
research study using a medication called
Pamidronate. The care and treatment
Leigh receives has helped decrease the
number of fractures she has had,
lessened her pain and increased her
mobility.
Full of enthusiasm and compassion, Leigh
and her generous spirit have touched the
lives of many people. When she was 3,
Leigh expressed to her family that she
wanted to help other kids, because
Shriners Hospitals for Children was
helping her. So, instead of receiving
toys for her birthday, she requested
donations to benefit Shriners Hospitals
for Children! This yearly fundraising
event has grown from a backyard party
into a huge celebration with more than
700 people attending the 6th annual
event in September. Leigh and her family
have raised more than $250,000 dollars
for Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Leigh’s father, David, a captain with
Tampa Fire Rescue, recently became a
Shriner. He and Leigh’s mom, Ellen, keep
very busy raising Leigh and her two
sisters, Taylor and Skyler.
Ticket prices for the East-West Shrine
Game are:
Premium Sideline Seating - $50
Sideline
General Admission Seating - $25
Endzone General Admission Seating -
$15
(Groups of 10 or more qualify for Group Ticket Rate)
Group
tickets can be purchased by calling the Orlando Venues Box Office at
407-849-2098.
Group Sideline Seating - $15
Group Endzone
Seating - $5