Happy Holidays Broncos Country!
I think these past Broncos wins are really making this holiday season more memorable than ever! Alongside those wins, the Broncos Cheerleaders have some seasonal events we partake in to make the holidays a special time for everyone! As a Broncos Cheerleader, we understand that we have so many opportunities to reach out and touch the hearts of our fans. No matter what season it is, the cheerleaders are out in the community helping raise awareness for all the special charities and events around Colorado.
During the holidays, however, we have even more reasons to give back and be thankful for every person we meet. I’d like to talk about my 3 favorite events coming up this month!
First off, we have Cheer For The Troops. Every year the cheerleaders send special care packages to our troops for Christmas to remind them how thankful we are for their services. We collect all kinds of donations from shaving kits, to DVDs, and collect a ton of snacks and Broncos collectible items. Of course we always include signed calendars and posters as well!
After all of these goodies are collected, we separate them into categories such as food, toiletries, magazines, etc., and then start packing a wide variety of everything into large boxes. After a full day of packing, taping, labeling, and weighing, we then pack up our cars and head over to the post office where we’ve become very good at creating a shipping assembly line. All of the cheerleaders take part in donating, packing, labeling, and shipping about 50 packages.
Packing these boxes and being there to help ship them off is something that really touches me. As a fourth year member of the DBC, I have been on three of our military entertainment tours including Iraq this past summer. While there, we were able to actually sit and talk with our troops during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Listening to all of their stories and hearing them tell us over and over how thankful they were for our small 12-day visit was extremely humbling and really opened my eyes to how selfless our troops are. I have such a huge appreciation for our military and just hope these packages can put a smile on their face. Thank you to everyone serving in our US Military!
Next up we have our Junior Denver Broncos Cheerleaders family and friends show. While this isn’t exactly a “Holiday” event, it always takes place during the season and is so fun to see all of the excitement in the girls’ eyes. During our junior clinics we are typically teaching our squads their gameday performance routines. But at every clinic we take time to work on a special “squad” routine. There are 16 squads in JDBC, separated by age then separated into AM and PM, so each DBC instructor has anywhere from 25-60 girls. The instructor has the opportunity to get creative because we get to pick our music and choreograph our own squad routines!
After a full season of rehearsing these dances the girls are given the opportunity to perform it, with or without their instructor, recital style at our friends and family show. The DBC even do some holiday dances in our Santa dresses in-between shows. It is so much fun to sit and talk with the girls on this day and watch their confidence come out during their routines. They all have holiday stories they are just dying to tell you and are excited to perform so the energy level is very high.
Even though these girls are young they already know some of the great qualities the DBC program takes pride in. While they are excited for Christmas they also know how important it is to give back to their community during the season. This show helps us remind them how lucky we are to be able to do the things we love and to keep giving back whenever they have the chance.
On to my favorite holiday event, Craig Hospital! Craig Hospital is exclusively dedicated to spinal cord injury (SCI) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, and research. Each year, Craig Hospital treats patients from 47-50 states. Every December, the Broncos Cheerleaders bust out our Santa Suits and head over to Craig. Typically we prepare a couple routines to kick off our day there, but this year it will be more of a show with several varieties of dances.
After performing our routines for the patients we get into position for photos. These photos are then printed off for each patient to keep! But the photos don’t end there; we make sure we bring a stack of posters and calendars to hand out as well. While we sign these for everyone, this is our opportunity to get to know the incredible patients staying at Craig. Each person there has such an inspiring story.
After visiting downstairs for a while, we split into two groups and head upstairs to visit the rest of the patients that weren’t able to make it downstairs. With each room we visit we are left with heartwarming and incredible success stories.
My favorite story over the past four years was of a husband and wife in their late 60s from New Jersey. Just a typical day at the beach for this beautiful couple turned into a traumatic life changing event when the man was hit the wrong way by a wave while standing only knee deep in the water. He was scheduled to soon leave the hospital but would be leaving paralyzed from the chest down. Although he couldn’t physically move, the way he and his wife spoke so openly with us and gave us huge thanking hugs before we left touched our hearts forever. It was amazing to see the love and support from his wife and family. And hearing how happy they are together even though life had taken an unexpected turn made me realize that if you stay optimistic and motivated, you get whatever you give out of life.
Every person we meet has a special place in our hearts and will play a big part in our DBC memories for the rest of our lives. With their motivation and the help of the staff Craig Hospital has many amazing success stories and has been ranked in the Top 10 Rehab Hospitals for 20 consecutive years. We can’t wait to see you all soon!
These three events are very special to me and I am grateful for all the opportunities DBC presents. Tis the season to give back to the community and we’re happy to help wherever we can! I hope that everyone has enjoyed this football season and I can’t wait to see what else this month in store!
Until next time, Happy Holiday and Go Broncos!!!
~Jessica
Tags: Cheerleaders, Holiday Cheer, Jessica
2012 fishing licenses now available in CA!
Order of QB`s in the first round.
1. Luck
2. Barkley
3. RB3
4. L.L. Jones
RG3 will be gone by the time we pick. Unless we move up the draftboard to get him, but that will never happen.
So I think if Denver manages to beat the Bears, our playoff fate may be sealed…The Raiders shouldn’t win their next game against the Packers, if we win that puts us one game ahead of the Raiders and with us owning the tie breaker the Raiders would have to basically win out in order to take the division. This means they would have to beat Detroit. Kansas City, and San Diego; while that schedule may not seem too tough I think the Raiders will be dropping at least 2 of their last 4. Denver needs to take care of a very vulnerable Bears team at home this week first and foremost. All that I know is that Denver holds their fate in their hands. I think we should beat the Cheifs and Bears with the Patriots and Bills also being beatable teams…All in all if we keep doing what we are doing the almost inconceivable thought of playoffs at the beginning of the season could be a reality.
The crucial game for us is the Bills game on Christmas Eve Day. We win that game the division is ours in my estimation.
The N.E. game is critical too but if we are 1 game ahead of the raiders athey still have to play the Lions in Oakland though. Thats a tough game for the raiders. If we lose to N.E. and the raiders lose to the Lions, we are still 1 game ahead with two games to go if all goes well this weekend. Alot of scenerios to play out.
Strand, I just prefer to think/believe we are going to win this out to the end.
End of story.
Yovi is on board – TEBOWNADE!!!
I’m out of here guys, have a good evening.
I just think that Patriots game is going to be interesting!
I’d like to beat a good and healthy team before getting into the playoffs.
We`ll win 3 of 4 at the least, so yeah.
That would be icing on the cake. That would shut alot of nay sayers up. LOL
Oh Strand – don’t say that so confident….we play good teams close – we play bad teams close…
One of these days there is going to be some adversity come down the pike. Tebow needs more of that! LOL
Wouldn’t that be the kicker – we win the next three and then lose to KC at home./..
:/
Fuel to the fire AAAAAYYYYY!!!!
Who knows, maybe by the time we play K.C. we`ve already clinched the division. HaHa!!
bay… u mentioned 3 … Rahim gets no love? i think he has contributed.
gabeharter…bay said 3 starters,Moore lost his starting job to Carter,just saying.
Yes, but we are talking about KC – must win!!!
Did anyone else hear that the Pats Broncos game might get moved to primetime? NBC is currently trying to get the game, but CBS is putting up quite a fight! TEBOW VS. BRADY baby!
Can you just envision Tebow being ordered to the sidelines because of an un-needed game and Quinn losing at home to KC by some disastrous score?
Not!!!
Fox needs to loosen up a little and enjoy the ride a little!!!
Fantasy Football = BRONCOS RUIN PACKERS PERFECTION IN SUPERBOWL!!!
TEBOWNADE!!!
Yovi – one thing about Tebow is he is a goldmine!!!
did anyone catch bill cosbys take on tebow its pretty funny.
i thought DA said they were just giving them both playing tyme to analyze them…. they both were gd enough to b starters just didnt beat brain dawkins out of course.
I posted the link early this morning a few blogs back.
I just saw that the Broncs vs Vikings game will air tonight on NFL Network at 7:30 MNT. I know what I`m doing tonight. LOL
Moore is a rookie – Fox is trying to lite a fire under him. Kinda tough when you are getting the general idea and then the commish hands out a fine.
Moore is gonna be a Bronco for a long time. Lotsa space on the team for him in time.
strand – me too – I want the hear the coaches commentary on the bad reffing.
Wanna bet they skip those plays?
That is my point. i think carter and moore will both b starters… I think we did acquire 4 starters from the last draft. i would like to c more of julius thomas if he can get over injuries… looked good in preseason!
Gotta study – I’m teaching 7 hours on Saturday. I’m out for awhile.
I think EFX are gonna put a lot of emphasis on TE play during the off-season. JT is gonna shine next year!
Well, they finally did it! Somebody actually came up with an Orange drink that really will get you hopped up…
That will satisfy the Orange Wine and Cheese crowd at the game but……
I’m just waiting for someone to invent Orange Beer and brats… It will be all the rage on Orange Sunday…
http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/orange-glad-theres-wine-color-181100872.html
I thought CBS has to give up the rights to the best games for sunday night. I`m not sure how that works, but I`m hoping for a late game come December 18 against N.E.
Elway said we needed 4 starters this year out of the draft was my point, so far we have 3, no biggie, will always find someone who wants to argue facts, go for it, LOL.
Daddy, from earlier I was considering the K.C. as a win. When I said win 3 of 4, I`m thinking the N.E. game a possible loss not K.C. LOL
3 starting as of now. Got it. Just thought you 4got moore.
Dawk is out there on the field playing like a youngster again. I wonder if he`ll come back for another year if he`s up to the task. He`s playing lights out.
I hope dawk either plays or stays as a coach! He is an awesome motivator.
He must of really been hurting last year, because this year he is playing all out.
Don’t think I’ve ever seen this many comments on the cheerleader blog, but a good time to get in my pick. I see the Broncos winning 17-9
As per the comments on the “pseudo timeout” called by the Vikings – as I remember it, the play clock was down to about 4 seconds, and the QB called time out – then the refs said they couldn’t call consecutive time-outs – then they let them get the play off … in my mind there should have been a delay of game penalty … was that established here, or is it still confusing … we really got screwed there …
As for the “ground causing the fumble” play – I think the refs got it right … but what if – and I’ve seen players fall w/o being hit – what if a runner tripped over his own feet and fell and fumbled in doing so – the ball wouldn’t be dead, because no defensive player had hit him – so, wouldn’t that be a fumble and a free ball?? … I think the term “the ground can’t cause a fumble” is an interpretation the fans and media have come to bastardize, and doesn’t include situations like we’ve got here … IMO …
Don’t know what to think about this weeks game yet … but – don’t count out the Chargers … I think they’ll win out … that means we’d have to go 2 – 2, and beat KC, doesn’t it?? … it would mean they’d beat the Raiders, which would help us there … I mean, if we beat KC, we’d be 4 -2 within the division, and they’d be 3 – 3 … I think that’s the first tie breaker … anybody know for sure?? …
Since I stopped making predictions we have won every game so I am not going to start now even though my season prediction of 8-7-1 is under threat. I will be happy to get that wrong and finish 11-5. Tebow in post season will be even more exciting.
Anyway it would be remiss of me not to thank Jessica for her post that reminds us all how inspirational the cheerleaders are and of all the good work they do throughout the season and especially over the holidays.
1st tie breaker is head to head and we split that with the Chargers so 2nd tie breaker would be division record.
Bay, I am pleased to say that when I was in hospital getting a new heart valve I did get visits from two beautiful cheerleaders who just happened to be my wife and daughter.
Good for you.
Luckily I have had support too, but no cheerleaders in the family or otherwise.
Actually maybe a couple of my ladies employees who visited me might of been cheerleaders, they were pretty enough.
I had a real nice nun visiting me everyday while in critical care, that was probably even better in such circumstances, LOL.
Well Bay now that Jessica knows maybe she can come and visit you with a few of our beautiful cheerleaders. Hope your recuperation continues to go well.
A nun would do it – I am pleased her prayers have been answered.