Background
In March of 2018, I was contacted by a friend letting me know that Josh Jackson and Miles Taylor were putting their Ohio State uniforms up for auction with all proceeds going to the Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. We were fortunate to make a deal and deliver a nice donation to the hospital. That deal ignited the passion that has led us to where we are today. Through contacts provided from Josh and Miles, along with Toks Akinribade and Keith Duncan, we were able to start this fundraiser on a very small scale. In three years’ time, and now with the NIL rules going into effect, our little fundraiser has grown to the point where we have committed to donating $50,000 to the hospital. We are currently at $27,000 and hope to reach our goal within the next year. Once we reach our first goal we will up it to $100,000.
The players that have helped us have been overly generous, very kind and unbelievably supportive of our cause. College athletes sometimes get a bad wrap but these guys have been incredible to work with and it’s been a privilege getting to know them.
As part of our cause, we have teamed with several other charities and provide signed items to support their causes. Some of the charities that we support are the Chris Norton Foundation, the Chuck Long Foundation, the Shriners Hospital, Military veteran causes, the Fallen Police Officer’s Assn., heart disease and have donated to an auction raising funds for a kidney transplant.