Annual Tim Gaige Memorial Event

I’ve had some time to think about this.  I really want to have an annual event we can do as a family to remember Tim, and to bring together those who loved him to remember him in a very Tim-way for the kids.  I want to do it in June… because he died in June and because of Father’s day, since being a father was his absolute favorite thing.  Something we often did for Father’s day was go to a Potomac Nationals game.  Tim loved them even more than going to MLB games in a way, and they were a perfect family activity.  We even went pre-kids. So I decided on that as a memorial event pretty much as soon as I thought of it.   Here is a picture of us in 2016 at a Potomac Nationals game, after Tim snuck to the gift shop and came back with hats for all 4 of us!  D is in this photo in utero. #partyoffive

After deciding on the type of event, the questions were in arrangements, and what organization to benefit.  Tim was passionate about many, many things.  Everyone who knew him could attest to that.  I already had sports covered, but the absolute # 1 thing(s) Tim was passionate about above all were his crazy ambitious wife and their “three unique and amazing children”.  (That’s a direct Tim quote from the Mother’s day card he gave me 2 days before we last spoke in the ICU.)  I don’t say that to self-promote, but because it was unequivocally true.

I considered medical research organizations, cancer societies, the ACLU, NPR, and many other worthy organizations that Tim either supported directly in life or would tie to his untimely death.  But I was brought back to his wife and children as his passion.   He would have been so incredibly touched by how our community rallied around his wife and children during his illness and incredibly untimely passing.  He would have been overwhelmed and so moved by it.  I have also learned that not everyone experiences that family and community support that I received.  And that’s where I want to be able to give back.  So, I decided on Together Rising, an organization that came about from a blog I used to follow called Momastery. I remember lying in bed with my phone or laptop a time or two and reading to Tim out loud a particular quote or paragraph or blogpost that Glennon Doyle had written in Momastery that really spoke to me.   I remember it was he that came and told me that she was marrying Abby Wambach.  Because 1) he always had all the latest in pop culture (I feel so bad the kids are stuck with me on that front) and 2) he had such incredible respect for Abby and the entire US Women’s National Team. Aaaaand there we are back to sports.

I just had to reach out to see if they were on board with partnering with me.  And they were amazing!  Got RIGHT back to me, had good ideas, called me Warrior Mama (and there’s no way they even know about my Warrior Tim post, I’m guessing that’s more a nod to Love Warrior or Carry On, Warrior books) and made my heart happy.  So then I reached out to the Potomac Nationals and they were also very helpful in arranging the date and the setup.

So here are the important facts.  SAVE THE DATE.

The Game will be the day before Father’s Day, Saturday June 16, 2018 at 6:35pm vs Buies Creek. 

I believe the game will also be a military appreciation night, which I am delighted about, and I think they will both have fireworks after the game, and let the kids run the bases.

Individual ticket sales start on Monday, March 19th, and I hope to have an online portal set up by then that I can share and let people buy tickets to the game, where up to half of the ticket value goes to Together Rising.

Fun fact: 100% of what Together Rising receives from every personal donation goes directly to an individual, family, or cause in need – not one penny we receive from individual donation goes to administration costs, unless a donor specifically authorizes that use. (From: https://togetherrising.org/) 

So put June 16th on your calendar.  Plan to come enjoy a fun, family-friendly baseball game, and raise your glass (or more likely cup) to Tim Gaige. And while doing so, give a little back to the community, and good folks in need.

 

Update: tickets on sale!

http://pn1.glitnirticketing.com/pnticket/web/logingroup1.php?&refresh=1521495331

Password: gaige

 

Update #2:

Some asked how they might pay tribute / honor Tim if they could not make it in town that weekend for the game. Here’s how you can do that!

https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/GaigeFund

 

Update # 3:

Some who are visiting from out of town have asked about accommodations close to the stadium, and honestly there aren’t any SUPER close, and I haven’t’ been able to find anyone who could give me any sort of recommendation either way, about the closest ones along I95. So I thought I would share the info we shared last summer for the Celebration of Life.  These are in Fairfax, and  the prices listed were researched last June (2017). I feel like if you are coming all the way out of town for Tim’s celebration of life, you might like the additional opportunity to see his children that weekend.  For any other questions/ concerns / suggestions, please feel free to reach out to me.

Residence Inn Fairfax City  for $89.00 USD per night (either King or Double)

3565 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax, VA  22030  Central Reservations: 877-399-6027

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Hampton Fairfax for $99.00 USD per night (either King or Double)

10860 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax, VA 22030 Reservations: 703-385-2600  Go to: fairfaxcity.hamptoninn.com

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Springhill Suites Fairfax Fair Oaks for King room: $99.00 USD  per night / for Queen Suite: $109.00 USD per night

11191 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA  22030  Reservations: 703-691-7880