libertyoneill

*available in print in St. Petersburg High School’s school paper, Palmetto & Pine, volume 109, issue 3

February 19^th 2012 marks the 10^th annual Glitz & Sticks casino night at the Tampa Bay Times Forum to benefit the Lightning Foundation and Tampa General Hospital Children’s Medical Center.  For years this has been an event taking place in Tampa, Florida (our own back yard) that has brought players, coaches and Lightning executives alike closer to their fans as they assimilate with the masses for a night of fun and splendor in the name of charity.  For hockey fans, Glitz & Sticks is probably the equivalent of heaven when it comes to an intimate experience with some of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s biggest stars including head coach Guy Boucher and forwards Steven Stamkos, Martin St. Louis and Vincent Lecavalier—no team member was too valued or highly paid to be present at and mingle with those in attendance.  As a dream come true for most lightning fans, I myself a Glitz & Sticks rookie reveled in the opportunity to be there and welcomed the evening with open arms.

The night began as donors filtered into the forum either from the Dex Imaging reception up stairs or through the front doors shortly after six pm when the event was scheduled to begin.  Men dressed dashingly in suits or tuxedos accompanied each other and/or women in an assortment of dresses of every color, shape and size ranging from disco ball sequins to homecoming lookalikes.  First the crowd trickled through the check-in lines where they received an Apple iTouch that acted as a bidding machine for the silent auction taking place until 9:30pm in the front room that contained sports memorabilia from almost every sport and team imaginable.  Later on there was also another auction taking place in the main room where Lightning experiences could be bid on like traveling to an away game with the team or being the Lightning photographer during a game.  One Tampa Bay Lightning even bid on the latter, although he probably would not have been allowed to take pictures that night instead of playing in the game.  Besides looking at items available for auction, guests were able to walk further through a large corridor where there were at the time empty casino game stations, photo booths, and an abundance of food and drinks accompanied by ice sculptures in the shapes of players jerseys with their names and numbers.

Until 6:30 guests were left to their own devices to eat their hearts out and claim a seat to await the opening presentations and official team introductions.  Beginning only a bit behind schedule, the public speaking necessary to start off any charity event began including a kind speech from Lightning owner Jeffrey Vinik and a representative from Tampa General Hospital on a large stage in the front center of the room.  After a short video about player charity work coaches and staff were introduced then the Lightning Community Heroes took the stage.  The Lightning Community Heroes program selects one person from the Tampa Bay area who they deem has done something special for their community and honors them with a meet and greet with a team member, an introduction at the game by their player and a video made about whatever they do for their community in addition to a $50,000 contribution to the organization that represents that Hero’s cause.  Switching roles, it was now the heroes turn to introduce the players one by one as the player strut his stuff from an entrance in the room swinging their personal hockey stick and posing for pictures until they reached a long riser slightly below the main platform.  The final announcements had been made and the games began as players departed spreading out in every direction.  To what seemed like a surprise to the spectators on the ground, the athletes wound in and out of tables and chairs searching for someone they found appropriate for one of a hockey players most prized possession: their stick.  Men, women and children grinned with delight as about 22 sticks were handed out by rough and tough players in their suits in shades of black, blue, and in Ryan Malone’s case a bright plaid print.

After the players became acquainted with their sticks new owners, the night got going as replica casino games opened and the players further dispersed either wandering from conversation to conversation, to photographs, munching on food and taking their turn as the dealer behind the games of their choice.  My personal favorite game of the evening was something I found to be quite good at somehow, Roulette.  As the acting dealer (and one of my personal favorite Lightning players) defensemen Victor Hedman is number 77 took bets as we played, I actually bet on the correct number at least twice.  I figure that seven is a lucky number, so two seven’s must be super lucky, right?    Other games included craps and blackjack, as well as non-betting games including foosball or a round of Ping-Pong with stars like Martin St. Louis.

At 9:30pm the games had wrapped up and the ending ceremonies had begun as well as the announcements for the auction winners.  By the end of the night, most guests left happily with autographs, photographs, merchandise, and wonderful memories galore.  This night was just one of the many charity events that the Lightning and other Tampa Bay sports teams put on that benefit our community.  Glitz & Sticks alone in 2012 raised thousands of dollars for charitable organizations, I think that money in exchange for a joyful night of a one of a kind hockey experience and Las Vegas styled fun is a fair exchange.