Trooper / COACH BLANTON BENEFIT TOURNAMENT IN SYLVA 7-19-08

As many of you are aware the recent loss of Highway Patrolman Shawn Blanton was a tragic incident in WNC.
Some of you may not be aware that Trooper Blanton was the JV Softball Coach at Smokey Mountain High School in Sylva. Coach Blanton loved the game and kids as well. He will be deeply missed. There are not enough words to say all the good things about this young man. If any of you travel on I40 towards Tenn. At exit 31 there is a roadside memorial setup at the site of the incident. When you pass please pray for Coach Blanton's Wife and their 7 week old son Ty. Ty was born 7 weeks pre-mature and is still in neonatal-intensive care but he is doing better and gaining weight the reports say.

This weekend (July 19 2008) Smoky Mountain High School is sponsoring a Benefit Softball Tournament at Mark Watson field in Sylva. The purpose of this tournament is to honor Coach Blanton and to help raise money to help with the medical cost involved with Ty's needed heart surgery. If you are in the WNC area please stop by and make a contribution all the funds raised will go directly to Michaela Blanton.

In a joint effort with Smokey Mountain High School the Carolina Cardinals will have a booth set up for those of us who already have plans to be in Raleigh this weekend where you can make a contribution to this fund raising event.
The donations will be brought back from Raleigh and given to Michaela by a group of young ladies form WNC who play for the Cardinals and all knew Coach / Trooper Blanton. One of the young ladies helping with this joint venture was baby sat by Michaela when she was a little girl.
The Idea for this joint venture came form one of the young ladies who could not play in the Smokey Mountain Benefit Tournament with her High School Team due to her prior commitment to play in Raleigh, but wanted to participate in helping the Blanton Family in some way. With full approval and the blessings of Ray Chandler hopefully these young ladies and all the participants of the Cardinal Classic can feel the goodness of helping someone else in a time of loss and need. If you have taken the time to read this lengthy Post the Young Ladies and anyone who would like to help at the booth will be glad to see you if you stop by.

God Bless The Blanton Family.
Shawn will be dearly Missed

 

Please Help!

I hope our softball family can take the time to stop by and donate any amount you can to such a worthy cause. We never know when something might hit close to home, so if you can please help the Burkett's and others this weekend. The NC Sun Devils will help the cause and I'll hang out with Beka at the table to help in anyway I can.

Thad
NC Sun Devils

 

Is there an address that the softball community can send a check to and who to make it out to if we cannot make it?

 

Donations to Trooper Blanton's Fanily can be made at SECU

Contributions to the Michaela Nicole Blanton FBO Brendan Tye Blanton fund can be made at any North Carolina State Employees Credit Union branch. Money will go to the wife and baby of Trooper David Shawn Blanton Jr.