| A Magical Moment with
Mario Lemieux
 Mario Lemieux of the Pittsburgh Penguins recently shared some magical moments of his own with us.
"I've been blessed with so many magical moments in my life-marrying Nathalie, the birth of my children; knowing my son Austin would be okay after being born three months early, beating cancer and then having the privilege of starting a foundation to help others fighting the disease. And there have been so many other wonderful moments in my career, both on and off the ice, like being drafted in the first round by the Penguins, winning the Stanley Cup, helping keep the Pens in Pittsburgh and having my number '66' retired by the team.
But as a child who grew up in Canada, where hockey was everything and winning the Stanley Cup was every kid's dream, the euphoria I felt hoisting that Cup over my head and skating around the rink after the Pens beat the North Stars in 1991, was the realization of a lifelong dream, and will stay with me the rest of my life."
- Mario Lemieux
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 Calling all Notre Dame FansWe appreciate how crazy you are about football and know that you have already started counting the minutes until the first kickoff. However, we want to remind you that just in case you cannot use all of your home or away tickets (after all you really should attend your daughter's wedding) Tickets for Kids® Charities can fill those seats with deserving children anywhere in the U.S. We might even be able to persuade them to root for Notre Dame.
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We've Gone International!
We are excited to announce that we have received our very first international ticket donation! This summer, Cirque du Soleil® donated over 350 tickets to performances of Alegria in Saint John's, Newfoundland and Saint John, New Brunswick. We are delighted to be able to provide opportunities for deserving children abroad and hope to expand even farther! Merçi pour les moments magiques! |
"What I did on my Summer Vacation"
"Our summer camp had a fantastic time aboard the RiverQuest boat. The kids were really excited to see Pittsburgh from the river, all while spotting birds and wildlife with binoculars and finding microscopic river life with microscopes. The staff was very fun and engaging. We hope to do this trip again next year."
Camp counselor aboard RiverQuest's Explorer vessel
"When we ate lunch we saw peacocks. They seemed to like French fries. I wonder if French fries are good for peacocks?"
Child @ Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
"When we told the students that they were going to a symphony, no one could imagine we would have this much fun. This activity was something that none of our students had ever experienced. Wow! Many of our students play instruments and had never considered how they could put their talents to use. Thanks to TFK, the students were able to take part in an activity that they will never forget."
Chaperone @ PSO Mellon Grand Classics performance
"The children loved the show, especially disco dancing in the aisles! Some of our children have limited language skills and it was so wonderful to hear them shouting 'Elmo' and 'Cookie.'"
Chaperone @ Sesame Street LIVE!
"Sheer glee radiated as our crew gobbled up hotdogs at the park, amazed to see the players in real life!"
Chaperone @ MLB Game |
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Special Thanks
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Tickets for Kids Charities would like to thank Matt Colaianni and Toshiba Business Solutions of Western Pennsylvania for the generous donation of paper used for the written version of this newsletter.
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Welcome to Just the Ticket,
the Tickets for Kids® Charities
e-newsletter! |
Our kids have
had a busy summer experiencing the magic of live events all over the nation and
beyond! Whether it was participating in hands-on activities at a science
center, learning about art and history at a museum, or being active at the roller-rink
or bowling alley, our children enjoyed magical moments that will leave an
impact for years to come.
This edition of Just the Ticket will give you a front
row seat to see the lifetime memories that your generous support helped create.
Every day, we receive thank you letters, cards, and notes of gratitude from the
children and agencies we serve. These
testimonies reveal the significance and impact of our work, especially during
these difficult economic times. With
your help, we can continue to touch the lives of lower-income children and
their families. Moments matter.
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Cirque du Soleil Benefit
Seven years ago, Cirque du Soleil® first performed in Pittsburgh with the big top production Quidam. While in our community, we were able to assist them with their community outreach efforts. The rest is history--Tickets for Kids® Charities has since been an official Community Outreach partner of Cirque du Soleil for performances all over the US and Canada. Through this ongoing and meaningful partnership, over 40,000 disadvantaged children and their families have experienced truly amazing performances throughout North America. From October 7 to 11, Cirque du Soleil is returning to Pittsburgh with their electrifying Alegria show at the Peterson Events Center and has chosen TFK Charities to receive a number of complimentary tickets for the Saturday, October 10, 7:30 pm performance for our first official fundraising benefit. The proceeds from the event will support our Living & Learning in Our Neighborhood program. If you are in the Pittsburgh area and would like to join us at the show, please visit ticketsforkids.org/cirque.
Photo :
Camirand Costume : Dominique Lemieux © 2006 Cirque du Soleil
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TFK Charities & Major League Baseball Welcome 2 Millionth Fan to MLB All-Star FanFest
In its 19th season, MLB All-Star FanFest was a 5-day event that took place in July at America's Center in downtown St. Louis and was an event to Live Out Your Baseball Dreams. Ashley Stewart was the 2 millionth fan to enter MLB FanFest and was honored by Tickets for Kids® Charities with 4 tickets to the State Farm Home Run Derby and the 80th Major League Baseball All-Star Game in addition to various other prizes, all provided by Major League Baseball and MasterCard.
Besides sharing in this milestone, more than 1,200 lower-income kids from the greater St. Louis area were included at MLB FanFest and over 100 youth attended Sunday's XM All-Star Futures Game and the All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game through donations to Tickets for Kids® Charities. Many thanks to Major League Baseball for their continued support in including our kids in such an exciting week.
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Highmark Provides Free Glasses and Dental Exams for Kids
This past June, 150 uninsured and
under-insured kids had the opportunity to receive free vision and dental screenings
at an exclusive Tickets for Kids® Charities event held at PNC Park.
Each child was screened by Davis
Vision and United Concordia specialists. Children needing follow up eye care
received a voucher redeemable for a free pair of glasses, compliments of Davis
Vision. After their screenings, everyone received a Pirates goodie bag
including a Pirates jersey, a Mrs. T's Oliver Onion doll, and other items.
All enjoyed a night jam packed with
fun things to do. The festivities included playing games to win Pirates tickets
and merchandise, creating extravagant balloon animals, making posters to cheer
on the Bucs, and, of course, plenty of good food! Even the Pirates Parrot
stopped by to say hello. Kids, parents and chaperones then attended the Pirates
game for the perfect finishing touch. 
Many thanks to Highmark, United
Concordia, Davis Vision, and the Pittsburgh Pirates for their effort to promote
healthy smiles and healthy eyes among underserved children in Southwestern
Pennsylvania's community. |
Tailgating with the Truckers
This August, the Southwest Chapter of
the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association treated 300 of our Southwestern PA
children and their families to a huge tailgate party at a Washington Wild
Things game. John Perfetti, president of the Southwest Chapter, his volunteers,
and sponsors fired up the grills for the pre-game tailgate party. This event,
along with a Christmas-time "Coats for Kids" program, has created many memories
for local, underprivileged children. Funds are generated for these enriching
community events at the SWPMTA's annual Dinner and Golf Outing event through
the generous support of the SW Chapter, supporting local companies, and
members.
Joining the tailgate party were several Wild Things players
and the team mascot, The Wild Thing. Highmark and Total Vision Care volunteers
also came out to give free vision screenings to children attending through a
partnership with the Josh Gibson Foundation and the Housing Authority of
Pittsburgh. In celebration of the occasion, the kids participated in many
between inning, on-field activities and games. Our kids were hard to miss in
their blue TFK Charities t-shirts all over Consol Energy Park!
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Donor Thanks
Your donation to Tickets for Kids® Charities has an incredible impact on disadvantaged children. Through your gift, you are introducing at-risk kids to the amazing worlds of arts & cultural, educational, sporting, and family entertainment events and activities.
Without your generosity, these enriching experiences would not be possible, and thousands of young lives would be void of the thrills and joys that accompany new discoveries and experiences.
Help us include underprivileged children in enriching experiences in their communities. 100% of your donation goes toward our programs; none of your donation goes toward overhead.
Please visit our website today to see a listing of our magical moment-makers. | |
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facebook.com/TicketsforKids
