Sweethearts for Soldiers had a big 4th of July weekend earlier this month. Sweethearts Brianne, Natalie, and Jill traveled to Oregon for this trip. Some of you will recognize these ladies. Brianne is a rookie Tennessee Titans Cheerleader. Prior to this, she was a San Diego Charger Girl. Natalie is a former Baltimore Ravens Cheerleaders, and Jill is a retired member of the ROAR of the Jaguars.
Jill, Brianne, and Natalie
The Sweethearts are a group of current and former NFL cheerleaders who were involved in visiting and supporting our military during their time on the squad, and wanted to continue those activities beyond the team’s commitments. You can learn all about their efforts at SweetheartsforSoldiers.org. Make sure to visit, especially if you are interested in becoming a Sweetheart yourself!
Let’s hear all about their trip from Brianne:
I, along with two other Sweethearts for Soldiers, just had the most memorable 4th of July weekend. It all started with Jill, Natalie and me taking 5 hour flights across the country to the small, but significant, town of Keizer, Or. Keizer is especially significant to me because I was born and raised there. On the morning of July 3rd, we made an appearance on the Terry Sol show, which can be heard locally on KBZY radio station.
We then attended our first event at McNary Golf Course’s “Prime Steak and Seafood” restaurant, where the community came together to raise money for the Fallen Soldiers’ fund. I had a great time entertaining the guests on the back veranda, with my country music.
After running a rehearsal at The Courthouse Athletic Club, we made an appearance at Keizer’s hottest new restaurant/bar, On the Rocs, where I again held a concert to entertain the guests. We signed autographed Sweetheart calendars and promoted our 4th of July event to be held the next day.
On July 4th my fellow Sweethearts and I went to Volcanoes Stadium where nearly 5,000 people were waiting for a night of country music, baseball, performances by The Sweethearts for Soldiers and the 234th National Guard Army Band, and appearances by very special war heroes.
The evening began with my pre-game concert which was very well attended. Afterwards, the opening ceremonies were outstanding. I was then honored to throw the first ceremonial pitch along with Oregon’s only living Congressional Medal of Honor winner from World War II, Robert Maxwell, and the featured soldier from the tv mini-series, “Band of Brothers”, Don Malarkey.
As the two WWII heroes were introduced, the crowd of 4,826 gave them a 2-3 minute standing ovation. The 234th Army Band played the National Anthem, and then God Bless America in the 7th inning. The 6th Marines also presented the colors.
During the 4th inning, we brought three soldiers, who had just returned home from Iraq, onto the field, introduced them, which prompted another rousing round of applause. The Sweethearts danced during the middle of the 3rd and 6th innings, and did a fabulous job.
We also had a table on the main concourse, signed autographs, took a lot of pictures with Volcanoes fans, and sold our Sweetheart calendars. During the 8th inning, we visited everyone in all of the Sky box Suites, and took pictures with them as well.
As soon as the game was over, and before the Fireworks began, I was honored to sing my new song, “Parades”. This is a song dedicated to the troops, which I sang from home plate to several thousand fans. It was a very emotional moment that I will never forget!
After my song, the Army Band played patriotic songs during the entire Fireworks show. What a way to end a perfect night which reminded us all WHY we celebrate July 4th. Let Freedom Ring!!!! God bless all our soldiers and God bless the USA! You can find my original song for the troops, “Parades” on iTunes and on MySpace under Brianne Marie Beaty. And don’t forget to go to www.SweetheartsForSoldiers.com to buy our 2009 calendar and support our non-profit military outreach organization!
“I think we hit a grand slam! The girls were so nice, and just so wonderful to our fans, and on their community visits. They are truly outstanding ambassadors for the “Sweethearts for Soldiers”, and it was so good to have Brianne perform here — back home”. – Jerry Howard – Senior Marketing Account Executive for the Volcanoes
San Antonio Spurs: The San Antonio Spurs Silver Dancers recently traveled to Mexico City to promote the Spurs and the NBA south of the border at the NBA Mexico 3×3 tournament. >>Watch part 1 now!
As part of the NFL Bucs cheer girls‘ UK tour this week, they dropped by three primary schools in three different cities to teach youngsters all about the sport.
The Bucs were over drumming up support for their team before they come back over on October 25th to host the New England Patriotsat Wembley – the third annual NFL match-up that the UK has seen in recent years.
As a former cheerleader, it was hugely rewarding to be able to set up these school camps, and show young kids first hand what cheerleading can bring. I was only given the opportunity at uni and I wished so much that squads had been active and available when I was little too.
Bucs – camp1
But what was most heart-warming was Head Teacher of Newcastle’s Wingrove Primary, Denise Harland’s glowing endorsement of the girls when they came to visit the school – hopefully dispelling the renowned air-head myths surrounding the cheer community:
“It’s a great opportunity to have the cheerleaders come into the school and show the children a different side of sport. These girls are very fit, articulate and fun, and it’s gives our children an idea of what sport can offer. They need to see and experience as broad a range of activities as possible and are very fortunate to have been part of the Buccaneers tour.”
CHEERLEADERS brought the American dream all the way to youngsters on Tyneside.
And it was “hands on hips, smiles on lips” for the pupils at Wingrove Primary School, in Fenham, Newcastle, when the team of elite professionals dropped in to fly their flag.
The six-strong squad from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers American football team, in Florida, were in the city as part of a UK tour to promote the sport and rally fans.
They spent the morning playing games and showing some classic steps to dance pupils in Years 3 to 6, before showcasing their pom-pom power in two special routines.
The girls finished their visit with two performances and wowed the crowd of youngsters, all aged between seven and 11, with their traditional slogan shouting.
Buccaneer cheerleader, Anna Duncan, 23, said: “It’s been amazing. I love coming to the UK and it’s great to give the kids an opportunity to have some fun and teach them all about American football.
“We are here to promote the sport and the big game at Wembley in October and we are also the UK’s home team this year so it’s very exciting. It’s just wonderful to be here.”
The visit coincided with the school’s sports week where children had been taking part in a range of different activities, including cricket, cycling and street jam and Asian dancing.
Headteacher at Wingrove Primary School, on Hadrian Road, Denise Harland, said: “It’s a great opportunity to have the cheerleaders come into the school and show the children a different side of sport.
“These girls are very fit, articulate and fun, and it’s gives our children an idea of what sport can offer.
“They need to see and experience as broad a range of activities as possible and are very fortunate to have been part of the Buccaneers tour.”
The squad are touring the UK in a bid to drum up support and rally fans for the third National Football League game at Wembley Stadium, in London.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing as the UK’s home team against the New England Patriots, who are hosting the match in the new season which starts in September.
It will be the third regular season game played by the NFL in the country and has already sold more than 70,000 tickets.
NFL UK managing director, Alistair Kirkwood, said: “It’s great to see British kids enjoying any aspect of the American football experience. It all helps to develop an understanding and passion for the sport.”
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will host the New England Patriots game which takes place at Wembley Stadium, in London, on October 25.
For more information on the game, or cheerleading in the UK, visit www.NFLUK.com
By MVC Jessie, 3-year veteran Vikings.com
7/1/2009
All aboard! Nikki and Jessie hopped on the train and headed to Devil’s Lake, ND, for Military Appreciation Day on June 20. This annual event offers the community an opportunity to join together in showing their appreciation for the military. Nikki and Jessie were both happy and proud to bring some Vikings cheer to Devil’s Lake and show their appreciation as well! They enjoyed the powerful speakers and meeting many men and women who serve our country, along with their spouses and children. They also had an opportunity to take a tour of the city of Devil’s Lake!
Nikki and Jessie met many members of the North Dakota Patriot Guard. This group of riders has one thing in common besides motorcycles, and that is their unwavering respect for those who risk their lives for America’s freedom and security. This group of motorcyclists made a powerful impact on the event as they came riding in together in honor of the military. Once the day came to a close, the girls hopped back on the train for their 8-hour ride back home.
That, as a dozen members of the 2009 Tampa Bay Buccaneers Cheerleaders team are now well aware, is a traditional cry of greeting or enthusiasm by a U.S. Marine. Apparently, it can also mean, ‘Job well done!’
Meagan Pravden, whose father, grandfather and uncles have all served in the U.S. military, was recently treated to a rousing chorus of ‘Oorahs!’ at Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan, as were her fellow Buccaneer Cheerleaders. The cheerleaders, part of a traveling troupe participating in an Armed Forces Entertainment overseas tour, had just concluded a variety show performance for a large group of Marines, and there was little doubt it had gone well.
“They received our show very well,” gushed Pravden, one of only two rookie cheerleaders on the tour. “They say, ‘Oorah!’ and we absolutely love performing for them. The Marines are the best! Then again, we’re performing for sailors [Thursday] and that’s unexplored territory for me. I’ve never performed for sailors before. We’re excited to see how they receive the show, but all of our performances have gone over very well so far.”
Pravden and her fellow traveling cheerleaders — Tomoko Kojima, Tiffany Jimenez, Sahara Sears, Tramane Shuler, Jeni Summers, Courtney Russ, Holly Sellers, Sara Tetzler, Aubrey Gainey, Jaime Hanna and Cheerleading Manager Sandy Charboneau — have been out of the States since Thursday, June 18. They flew first to Japan then hopped to Guam on Tuesday. Tampa Bay players Michael Clayton and Will Allen also made the trip, though their itinerary has been slightly different.
The Buccaneers Cheerleaders put on two shows in Okinawa and filled almost every intervening hour with meet-and-greets and other appearances with members of the military. Clayton and Allen stayed in Okinawa one extra day in order to host a football clinic for service members at Camp Shields. For the cheerleaders, a third show at Anderson Air Base in Guam on Thursday will conclude the exhausting but highly rewarding trip; they will arrive back in Tampa on Friday night.
Charboneau and groups of Buccaneer Cheerleaders have participated in many such tours in the past, but each trip remains an eye-opening experience for the travelers, especially those taking part in it for the first time.
“What I’ve heard from most of the girls and how I feel myself is that it’s probably the best part of our jobs,” said Charboneau. “We get to meet people that we never, ever would have had the opportunity to meet. Seeing the impact it has on the people in the military when we just show up and tell them that we appreciate them, it means a lot. It really does.”
Pravden definitely agreed.
“It’s so much more than I expected,” she said. “I’d never traveled internationally before, and to meet all these troops, all the emotional rewards that we get back, it’s such an experience. I’m just so grateful to have this opportunity my first year on the team.”
Like Pravden, most of the cheerleaders on the tour have family members who have served or are currently serving in the military. A chance to say thank you to the men and women protecting our nation was a large part of their motivation to sign up for the trip. That seemed particularly poignant when the tour took the group relatively close to areas of current concern, such as Korea.
Knowing the danger these troops are willing to face, the cheerleaders wanted nothing more than to foster happier thoughts in the men and women they entertained and interacted with.
“Luckily, when we come and hang out with the troops we bring a sort of ‘lightness’ with us, just taking their minds off what they’re doing day to day,” said Sears, a four-year veteran of the squad who has taken part in previous overseas tours. “We’re trying to help them have some fun for a few hours. Emotionally it’s been just as touching as it always is. Each tour that we go on, we meet so many people and we hear so many stories that touch our lives in every single way, and this tour’s no different.
“It’s good for them to reflect and get their minds off being away from home. We meet tons of people from Florida and the Tampa Bay area, and even a lot of people who aren’t from the Tampa Bay area who are Bucs fans. That’s really cool to see, considering we’re thousands and thousands of miles away from home.”
Every tour is packed with appearances, travel and preparations. There’s a little time for sightseeing here and there, a little time for sleep. The schedule can be brutal on the face of it; the cheerleaders arrived in Guam at 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, got to their hotel three hours later and were soon back on the meet-and-greet tour.
Still, the travelers uniformly agree that they don’t really feel the exhaustion until they get back to Tampa.
“The schedule is intense and it is hectic, but the thing is that we’re doing are once-in-a-lifetime things,” said Sears. “We’ve visited some troops while they’re practicing getting into their jets and we’ve visited other troops while they were working in the fire station. It’s stuff that you’ve really never had the chance to do before, so our energy level stays high because we’re running on excitement and adrenaline. The short hours of sleep are totally worth what we’re getting to experience every single day.”
Pravden says the adrenaline pumps double-time for the first-timers on the tour.
“I’ve never done this before so every experience is a new one,” she said. “Every meet-and-greet, you never know what you’re going to get, who you’re going to shake hands with, who you’re going to talk to and the experiences you’re going to hear. It’s just been non-stop and I’ve loved it.”
On July 1, 2009, six Philadelphia Eagles Cheerleaders will depart for Iraq and Kuwait as part of a 12-day goodwill military tour. This marks the second consecutive year that Eagles Cheerleaders will travel to the Middle East to visit US military servicemen and women. The tour is designed to entertain and boost the morale of the soldiers, many of whom are serving lengthy tours of duty in Iraq and Kuwait.
The cheerleaders will be performing variety shows at the bases in addition to meet-and-greets and autograph sessions. The cheerleaders will truly get a sense of the soldiers’ sacrifice as they fly in Black Hawk helicopters, sleep in the barracks and endure the severe climate.
Amanda Bedford, a fourth-year member of the squad, will be one of the six current cheerleaders making the trip.
“I’m going to Iraq and Kuwait not only to boost the morale of our brave soldiers and show my support, but also for more personal reasons,” she said. “I have friends and family currently serving our country in the military, as well as family members who have given their lives to protect our freedom. This tour is my small contribution to those who have sacrificed so much for us.”
The new cheerleaders embarking on the 2009 tour are looking forward to the visit in part because of the experiences that the cheerleaders had during last year’s tour. Rachel Washburn, who was part of the 2008 tour said, “It was a life-changing experience. It was an opportunity for me to express my appreciation and thank them in person for the sacrifices they are making to protect us and people throughout the world. They are so courageous!”
In addition to traveling to Iraq and Kuwait, the Eagles Cheerleaders have also traveled previously to Bosnia and Kosovo for goodwill military tours. The Eagles Cheerleaders are very active in making appearances at military bases and veterans hospitals in PA, NJ, and DE. Most recently, they appeared at the Walk for the Wounded in Delaware County, a fundraiser for injured soldiers, and at a welcome home celebration at Sovereign Bank Arena for 1,600 members of the Army National Guard that just returned home from Iraq.
“These outstanding NFL cheerleaders will have a tremendous impact on the military personnel serving our country. All of the participants have expressed their passion for our troops overseas and are looking forward to a successful tour and once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says David Chavez, President of Pro Sports MVP.
Last week, a group of five Raiderettes, Tiphanie, Cole, Meena, Emily and Ashlee, visited several United States military bases in Iraq. The Raiderettes spent time with U.S. servicemembers in Iraq.
Meena sent the following on May 30th: “I am finally getting some time to sit down and send off some e-mails. We arrived at FOB Delta in Iraq this morning. It is near the city of Al Quds. For the first time in our Middle East experience we are staying in a tent! It is lined on both sides with about six or seven bunk beds down each side. The “wall” and “ceiling” are tent-like with solid metal beams as interior supporting structures. Cool air is pumped in, but it’s not doing much in this heat. It is super windy and when we lay down on our beds the “walls” actually are snapping with the wind and hitting us in the head. It’s pretty funny actually.
We’ll be performing on an outdoor stage, it is basically the bed of a flat bed truck. The crews here have placed a wood flooring on top of the rusty metal. In the background is a bombed out building, and all around the stage there are mortar bunkers. It’s quite a scene. Today while we were marking our spots and rehearsing our show a soldier approached us and asked if any of us had cheered in high school or college. I was the only one who said yes. He asked if I cheered coed, and I again said yes. Without missing a beat, he asked “Do you wanna stunt?” So after we were finished rehearsing I threw a couple of stunts with him. It was really cool. I also learned that the Raiderettes are the first cheerleaders to perform at this base, so the troops here are extremely excited.
Our first two days included an evening performance at Camp Beuhring in Iraq after enduring a day of 130+ degrees. Unkown to us, our security detail had made a call to have medics standing by during our performance in case any of us went down. We all made it through safely, but it was good to know our security detail was looking out for us. Our second performance was at Camp Basrah in Iraq to one of the rowdiest crowds I’ve seen in awhile. We had a lot of fun with them and found some die-hard Raider fans.
It’s a little cooler today, maybe around 100 degrees…very windy, we can actually feel the dust and sand on our teeth. I don’t know how these men and women live in this day in and day out. Until you’ve been here, it is difficult to fully understand. I would compare it to standing in front of a massive blow dryer all day.
That’s it for now…we’ll touch base as soon as we get a chance again! Not sure where we are headed next, but we are ready for the adventure.”
Cole checked in on June 1st: “We did a live appearance from here in Iraq on KRON 4 [with Vern Glenn]. We have already completed two shows. We started in Kuwait, then flew to Baghdad, and back to Kuwait, and then to Iraq. This has been such and emotional trip in many ways. We all are so humbled by what we have witnessed. Equally so proud of what our soldiers have accomplished. They truly are our country’s heroes and we are so honored to be able to thank them for all they do, and all they have sacrificed. Great stories already to tell. Funny moments, tearful moments. We met one of the generals last night, big highlight for all of us. We have collected four coins and one patch so far. We have to go get ready for our next show this evening at 1900. Our agenda is demanding. Not a lot of sleep, or downtime.”
Cole checked in again on June 2nd: “Just quick update. We met a three-star general today! We have six coins now and three patches. We played Rock band with the special forces yesterday, and had a jam session for fun. We also were present during a private promotion ceremony for the special forces. We’re about to head to our next meet and greet, and then get ready for our show here at Camp Striker. Thanks for all your support. We are in such great hands, and feel very safe. Military troops are motivated and happy we are here. Carmen our tour guide is taking such great care of us.”
During the Raiderettes trip to the Middle East, several soldiers sent e-mail to Raiders.com thanking Football’s Fabulous Females for visiting them. Here is a sampling…
“I am writing this e-mail for “Team C,” the Raiderettes, who appeared in FOB Delta on Saturday night in Iraq. I just wanted to thank your team for coming out here to give us a little entertainment while we are deployed. It meant a lot to us and something like that really goes a long way.” – Marc R
“I am writing this to you today from FOB Delta, Iraq. I am writing this to you today because last night myself and hundreds of other soldiers were entertained by five of your sexy and lovely and courageous Raiderettes. They are Tiphanie, Emily, Ashlee, Meena, and Cole (TEAM C). I would like to thank the Raiders for allowing them to come here to Iraq and entertain us. It was a great show. They were very enthusiastic and they tried very hard to get people up on stage. I myself was one that was up on stage during the dance off. And like it was said last night by a colonel of the base, ‘maybe we’re heroes for being here doing what we do best but just the simple fact that they came here just to try and show us a good time and help us have a good night that made them the heroes’ hero.’ Even though they were here for just one night it was the best night that I have had in a long time. We are eternally grateful for them coming. If they didn’t come I probably wouldv’e just stayed in my tent like I have so many other nights and watched a movie. But them coming here made me so happy. It just boosted my morale level so high for the next month. Them being here and giving us the best show that they could made me feel like I was sitting in the front row on the 50-yard line at a Raiders game. They did a outstanding job and I believe they should be recognized for it. In closing I would just like to say THANK YOU again for allowing them to be here last night. Thank you again and have a safe and happy 2009. From your number one Raider and Raiderettes fan…” – John G.
We’ll have more from the Raiderettes trip to the Middle East, including Vern Glenn’s satellite interview, online later in the week.
CHEERLEADERS brought the American dream all the way to youngsters on Tyneside.
