A better world through Twins victories (and Detroit defeats)
Posted on September 8th, 2009 – 10:50 AMBy Howard
No matter how cranky you are about the Twins, the following is something you can heartily endorse:
The blogger Kirsten Brown, owner and operator of k-bro’s baseball blog, has made a pledge that she will donate two items to a local food shelf for each game the Twins win during the month of September.
And there’s more: She’ll donate one item for every game the Tigers lose for as long as the Twins still have a mathematical shot in the division race.
K-bro writes: “And not lame generic mac & cheese or cheap-o ramen noodles either — good, nutritious food that I would eat. (Actually, for the record, I love mac & cheese and ramen noodles, but I wouldn’t want to depend on them for survival. I did that in college — which was a very long time ago.)”
She is inviting others to join her effort.
If the incredible happens, and the Twins manage to win the division, k-bro should be asked to throw out the first pitch at the first playoff game
I’m in. Are you?
42 Responses to "A better world through Twins victories (and Detroit defeats)"
I dont think Kristen will be making any runs to the grocery store this month. Sorry Howard but this seems a little shallow to me, If you want to donate those items then donate them but dont count on the Twins winning.
This is a great idea. I have recently lost a job so if I can’t do this I will do something else to make the world a better place in the name of Twins wins.
Count me in, Howard. I don’t have a whole lot, there are a lot of people with less than I, and I donate to the US Postal Service Food Shelf Drive every year, plus I send a check every Thanksgiving to the Great Plains Food Shelf of Fargo/Moorhead.
What I enjoy up here, additionally, is at Halloween time the college students go trick or treating for food shelf donations.
Dear BC of ND:
For the record, I’m also donating food as part of a personal pledge that’s not related to Twins wins.
I just wanted to make the rest of the Twins season more fun by encouraging fans to continue to support them regardless of their playoff chances.
Kirsten
OK, I’m in. I’ll get my g/f to do it too.
GO TWINS.
It’s always nice to help out and donate but there is nothing wrong with doing it behind a simple cause.
Kristen
I apologize for my remark, but when i first read Howards post it seemed shallow to me to donat based on the Twins winning. after thinking about it I realize there are people in need and the food banks dont care what your reasons are so kudos to you, and maybe the boys can go on a long winning streak.
BC, I took Howard’s post and Kirsten’s challenge as doing things in addition to what we regularly try donate. Thank you for your classy apology, BC….Go Twins!!!!
BC,
No worries over your initial thought. This kind of giving is in the tradition of, “For every Twins strikeout…”
It can get those who give to give a bit more.
It can get those who may not to start … or at least to think about the issue.
And it can foster a sense of community.
Count me in. There are more people that use food pantries than people may think. We opened a food pantry at our church about 9 months ago. At first we we getting 5-10 families per week. We have been averaging 25 families per week for the last several months. People like you and me that are going through a difficult time right now. Every donation, no matter how small, helps someone!
I’ll join in the fun for charity – here is my formula:
Number of food shelf items to be donated =
((Twins wins - Punto errors) TIMES (Nathan horse-blows MINUS Cuddy waves-at-low-and-away-third-strikes)) DIVIDED BY ((”Battling our tails off” quotes MINUS Leyland dugout-runway cigarettes) PLUS (Gomez faked injuries TIMES Gordo’s radio misstatements))
I’m in as long as Howard keeps track.
I’m going to level with 220–I stooped to the status of “casual Twins fan” over Labor Day weekend. As in, I was at high school football during Friday night’s game…peeked in and out of Saturday’s game…was playing golf during Sunday’s game…and only caught the last two innings of Monday’s game.
Have I lost hope? Um, yes. It pains me to admit it, but it’s over. If I end up being wrong, you can call me out on it (as well as La Velle, who said he lost hope for the playoffs even prior to the Kansas City weekend in late August). My observations from the weekend are basically that Nick Punto has managed not only to be a regular once again, but that he actually batted second yesterday! Gardy will never learn from the ills of his ways on this issue, apparently. Morneau continues his nose dive, and Nathan has picked up some saves since blowing the one that essentially cost us the season (Go ahead and debate me on that assertion, I look forward to it).
So I expect I’ll be in Mon.-Thurs. casual fan mode the rest of the way…If Howard keeps track of the k-bro can count, I will ante up at the end of the month. I’ll even kick-in a coat if we win the Division. Meanwhile, I suppose the Homerdome Tribute Tour can begin any day now, followed by the painful excercise of speculating about 2010.
As far as that goes, I have two preliminary requests which both start with ‘S’: Sign Joe Mauer and Sit Nick Punto.
Howard, I am sending this blog post to everyone I know. Some will participate, some won’t, but that is each person’s choice. Thank you.
Count me in. Great idea.
Jason,
This is a season that should have been followed in the newspaper box scores.
I’ll donate 1 beer for every twins win or detroit loss
maybe even a shot if both happen….
I posted Kirsten’s entry to my facebook
Tsk. Where are my manners?
Thank you so much Howard for featuring this. I think it’s going to be fun! Go Twins!
Your friend,
Kirsten
maybe the twins beat writers could challenge the players to donate an amount for every error, loss and bone headed play (getting picked off on the 3rd to 1st move…..). all these guys make lots of money even the rookies make over 300,000.
so howard, joe, len 3 challenge the players to put up!
be a nice way for them to show some good will after a stinky season.
I’m in….Please let this be worth something. Twins win, Tigs lose.
I like it and I’m in too but I like ggg’s suggestion that someone get the players involved too. At least there will be something to show for these next two weeks if the Twins don’t make it to theh playoffs. I’m still hoping for a miracle but seeing Punto in again yesterday and him not making the play that led to the Blue Jays scoring the first run, makes me think that this would have to be a miracle. Why oh why doesn’t Gardy get it?
Nice gesture. Its September callup time and the best the Royals can do is start Bruce Chen against the Tigers? What a joke! At least Fernando Rodney is out for three games.
I forget - how many hits did the Twins have to get before they gave out the free chalupa coupons?
I’m hungry.
I’m in…hoping to donate at least 40 items this month, and ANY amount in October!
Howard & bloggers of Section 220,
As an avid reader of your blog, please inform the wunderliks at the Strib to keep the baseball blogs out of the realm of “Our Voices” and as they currently appear.
The new format is not user friendly, has the content poorly displayed, and does not allow an open forum that is a hallmark of your blog.
I am a fan of innovation, but only when the 2.0 is better than the current standard. IMHO, “Our Voices” does not meet the standard of excellence of Section 220’s format.
I would recommend every current member of this blog to log on to “Access Vikings” to view the new format.
Maybe by hearing our voices now, we can save this blog before it is too late…
I’ll save a couple of minutes of my life every day by not reading any blogs of the “Our Voices” variety.
Please don’t add Section 220 to that list.
If you can’t donate food, you could hold the door open for people behind you. You could let people merge on the road. You could say hi to someone you pass while walking or running. You could volunteer a number of hours equal to the number of Twins wins (this is a great one, btw). Lots of ways to make the world a better place….
“If you can’t donate food, you could hold the door open for people behind you. You could let people merge on the road”
I agree
If you can’t donate food, you could hold the door open for people behind you. You could let people merge on the road.
You could not run a fully loaded shopping cart like a battering ram in the supermarket into me. Then yell, “Excuuuuuuse Meeeeeee”.
“If you can’t donate food, you could hold the door open for people behind you. You could let people merge on the road.”
You could allow me to drive without slamming your bumper into my bumper while tailgating me with an open lane available next to you
I’m in. Good idea k-bro, and good for you for featuring this item, Howard. Go Twins!
bc of nd
nice job on putting a negative on to something positive. donating food is clearly a shallow gesture.
I’d do it but I’m the broke college student living off Mac and Cheese (not a big ramen fan. I like butter and noodles better and peanut butter on toast better!) But I think it’s a great idea none the less!
trish….been there, done that, not only in college but in parts of my life with events beyond my control, prior to retirement. Here is what I will do, trish, my donations to the food shelf in the Fargo/Moorhead Area with this challenge will be donated in your name…. DocDon. 
Great idea Howard. What I like to do is give money. (It’s kinda selfish as that’s usually less inconvenient.) Every charitable organization has issues that can only be handled with cash, such as insurance, utilities, fuel etc.
I’m in…positivity never hurt anyone.
fiesta,
I’d try that positivity stuff, but I’m sure it wouldn’t work.
I am in and doubling the original offer: 4 items for a Twins’ win and 2 for a Tigers’ loss. And if they get rid of Gardenhire, I’ll donate a grocery cart load.
This a great idea to help others…and to make it fun being a Twins fan!… thanks for coming up with this…
I am in!!
I reposted Kristen’s post on my MLB site and a Rays fan is also going to join in on this for win that the Rays come up with! Now think if every fan of MLB went in on this with us all! What a great turn out we could have!
Money is actually better for the food shelf (or any other non-profit) than in kind or other kinds of donations (going to a board meeting of a local non-profit tonight - we, and others, always need more cash). Food shelfs can get more food for their dollar than we can, and they can get the foods that they most need. That said, if you do have canned goods or other items you don’t want anymore, please donate them. You’d be surprised at how happy you can make a family.
so, Paul, don’t worry about it being selfish, non-profits need cash, lots of cash.
10 items and counting!!!!!!
