Thoughts on Helping Give Visit

[irishwavend 568]

I know this isn’t team related, but I wanted to pick your brains on how to get what’s necessary to give someone a trip to ND for a game.  There are always those people that pull at your heartstrings (and I’m not the warmest dude, generally) whose bucket list is a Notre Dame game…you know, the folks who it would be more meaningful to than most of us?

So, there’s this guy at our local golf course who is ALL Irish…LOVES ND.  He’s incredibly blue collar, like Ned Beatty in Rudy, and very selfless - goes out of his way to pick colored balls for my girls at the range so they have fun balls to hit during practice.  Busts his butt in the heat and clearly takes pride in what he does.  Anyway, he asked me today if I’ve ever seen a game in the stadium, to which I responded that I went there.  He’s like lucky bastard…that’s on my bucket list.

I know it’s gonna be a tough one to check off for him, but I know how much it meant to my buddy’s father who just passed away a couple months ago.  Apparently, it was a highlight of his life he reminisced about towards the end…

All that said, any thoughts on best ways to fundraise money quietly and what would be needed to gift this gentleman a trip?

I figure flight, hotel, tix, transportation…anything else in terms of expenses?

Fundraising - is GoFundMe still a thing?  I wish I had the unlimited funds to throw his way, but I don’t.  I’m lacking creativity here…. Any thoughts are appreciated.  Thx!

[Synoptico 334]

I do a lot with Make a Wish, both as a volunteer and a Board member/board chair. Feel free to DM me and i can let you know what we do and what we do. 

[TexasDomer 1,288]

I would think food is an expense

[FaithInIrish Forever 4,704]

The Spring game is a really good value, thats what my family and I could afford and we liked it,

[jbrown_9999 1,018]

1 hour ago, FaithInIrishForever said:

The Spring game is a really good value, thats what my family and I could afford and we liked it,

Spring game has the advantage of lower hotel costs since hotel can cost as much or more than game tickets. 

[Rocketsan 768]

not remotely the same experience as a real game though...

[jbrown_9999 1,018]

5 hours ago, Rocketsan said:

not remotely the same experience as a real game though...

Beggars cannot be choosey though. Flying from Florida for a game is probably something like:

Airfare for two: $800+

2 Tickets: $200+

Hotel: $500+

Rental car: $300+

Food / Drink: $200+

And those prices are probably on the low end so $2K is minimum needed to have someone have a free game experience.

 

[ND_JACK 321]

You really need a guide for him too. He can sign up for a campus tour but this guy sounds like he would really enjoy more then just that. For example  If on campus Friday he needs to get into the stadium , then do the full campus tour(of course grotto and Basilica) he then needs to rest and have dinner. Then back to campus to listen to band drummers only in front of administration bldg at midnight. It’s is really cool on a nice evening they play for close to an hour (they even use the rave drum sticks that glow for parts). Saturday  get up there early and have breakfast at south dinning hall, book store ($$$$),  tailgate with other ND fans , then back to the bands the trumpets perform in the administration bldg and then follow the band marching to the stadium like hundreds of other crazies, the game, if catholic go to mass on campus.

I know so much of the band might sound crazy to you but believe die hard ND fans there for the first time LOVE it. You would probably prefer to be tailgating Saturday afternoon….lol. But remember it for your buddy. 

Also ND use to sell packages where you could tour the locker room or get out onto the field($$$$).

oh last thing do not pick a BIG game. Of course you want a decent game to watch. Guys are going to hate me for this but the Navy game especially if he served might be perfect. A BIG game like Ohio state, Clemson will have to many people on campus. Everywhere you go there are lines you have to wait in or crowded places….that just me.

Edited July 17, 2022 by ND_JACK

[TexasDomer 1,288]

And big games have too many fans from the visiting team

[Rocketsan 768]

Maybe send him to an away game closer to his home? 

[irishwavend 568]

I appreciate all the suggestions!  I’m still chewing on this.  It’ll probably be something I try to do for him for 2023.  We’ll see.  Thanks again!