Gator Good News

#GGF2023 Campaign: Tyson Wills

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 03:56:58 GMT

2023 Gator Good Foundation Campaign: Tyson

Each year since 2018, the Gator Good Foundation has brought a unique Florida Gators fan- or in some cases, fans- to a Gator football game in Gainesville.

Our inaugural campaign saw us bring Kentavien “Scoot” Walker . The following year, we brought Austin Nevens . The coronavirus pandemic relegated us to a virtual campaign in 2020 , but we returned the ensuing year to bring Ontario Jones . And last year, we brought a pair of close friends, Alec Gluckman and Bennett Esquenazi .

In 2023, we had a more specific theme in mind. Serving in the United States military is a commitment that requires great amounts of selflessness, courage, and strength. Those who make this commitment sacrifice many comforts of civilian life for long deployments, separation from loved ones, and exposure to dangerous and high-stress environments. So we wanted to repay at least one such individual who’d made these sacrifices with an all-expenses-paid trip to see the Florida Gators play in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

As part of our military theme, we chose Florida’s contest against Arkansas - which Florida had designated as this year’s “Saluting Those Who Serve” game – to be the game for our 2023 campaign. And we’re proud to say we found the perfect candidate for the honor.

For nearly three full decades, a die-hard Florida Gators fan named Tyson Wills has proudly served in the United States Air Force. But while Tyson is as patriotic as they come, his commitment was about more than that.

“I came from the projects,” Tyson explained. “That’s probably the best way to put it. Between that, my parents being addicted to drugs, and other bad situations, I just needed to give myself structure. And I figured the military would give it to me.”

So in June of 1995, Tyson decided to join the Air Force. And thus, Tyson began a lifetime of serving his country. Throughout various points in his military career, Tyson has served around the world, performing a variety of duties related to cybersecurity.

But Tyson’s commitment to his country extends far beyond his own service. After seeing how the military changed his life and marrying his wife Patrice- who also served in the Air Force- he knew the military could similarly change the lives of others. So he decided to make that happen.

After retiring from active duty in 2015, the call to serve his country stuck with him. So Tyson decided to transition into a new role within the Air Force as a recruiter. In this role, he has enlisted 348 Airmen into the Air Force- one of which was his own daughter.

That’s not to say his military life was easy. It was anything but. “Getting yelled at isn’t fun,” Tyson recalled. “The struggles of being away from your family, competing with your peers for ranks, the rules being so much stricter than in the civilian world, it all just took a toll on me.”

As a result of the difficulties of military life, Tyson began to struggle with his mental health. “The anxiety and depression of that life, a lot of which was simply not being able to be there for big family milestones, were hard to navigate through,” Tyson admitted. “Suicide is often a real thought, and we’re afraid to talk about our mental struggles because we don’t want to be seen as weak. We’re just supposed to be on our Ps and Qs at all times, soldier on, handle being screamed at as our superiors try to build us up by breaking us down, and then go on with our duties like we don’t have feelings. But we do. We’re people.”

Despite those difficulties, for Tyson, there’s always been one thing that’s kept him going through the tough times: Florida Gator football. In fact, the Gators are as much of a part of Tyson’s life as the Air Force. His desks have always been adorned with Gator paraphernalia, he loves trading trash talk with his Georgia and FSU friends, and- whether he was stationed in South Korea, Guam, Germany, or Turkey- he’s never missed a game.

“I love my Gators,” Tyson declared. “Whether I had to wake up at 3:59 am or stay up to watch a game that kicked off at 1 am, I was that guy on whichever base I was at. Cheering, chomping, waving that Florida Gator flag, everyone knew I bled orange and blue. I was the no-nonsense military man for all but three and a half hours a week, and then I turned into a Gators superfan.” Knowing his deep love for the Gators, his Squadron surprised him for his retirement by flying his retirement flag over Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and then presented him with a Gator football helmet that had been signed by the 2014 and 2015 football teams.

While Tyson has no regrets about his military career, it has prevented him from being able to see his beloved Gators from playing in person- except once. And Tyson doesn’t really count it. On a foggy and ominous December night in the COVID-marred 2020 season that limited the crowd to 25% capacity and removed much of the game day experience from the realm of possibility, Tyson- who had just been stationed in southern Georgia- was in the stands for one of the more disappointing games in recent memory, a 37-34 LSU upset that essentially knocked Florida out of the College Football Playoff.

“What a first-ever Gator game to go to,” Tyson laughed wistfully. “No tailgating, no Gator walk, no band routine, and then to cap it all off Marco Wilson throws a shoe.” Tyson recalled being so angry at the stunning defeat, he decided to forgo his hotel room and drove through the night back to his house, arriving at daybreak on pure adrenaline. But he’s still glad he went that night. “I swore when I stepped out of my car, I’d be back one day,” Tyson remembered. “That wasn’t a real Gator football experience. That was just a tease. I vowed that someday, I’d go back and get that real Gator football experience, with all the bells and whistles.”

Tyson Wills being presented with his Air Force achievement medal by Major Reliford in 1999. (Photo credit: Tyson Wills)

Life in the Air Force, though, has made that difficult. Between various assignments and being stationed in various bases in Alabama the last few years, Tyson just hasn’t been able to make it work.

So the Gator Good Foundation decided to help.

Our team of five co-founders receives a large number of applications each year from deserving individuals, but this year, when we announced that we would be specifically looking for a current military member or veteran, we were blown away by the sheer quantity of amazing individuals. Yet even with so many well-qualified candidates, Tyson’s story was impossible to ignore.

“Tyson stuck out to me because his story was about so much more than his service,” Gator Good Foundation co-founder and treasurer Matt Marino said. “His wife and daughter served, and he’s still serving by recruiting hundreds more people to follow in his footsteps. And once we got a chance to talk, within maybe 30 seconds it was clear that this was a Gator superfan we’d come across.”

“It was obvious to me how positive and humble he was from the start, just a happy light in this world,” added Gator Good Foundation VP Taylor Reimsnyder. “Every time I talked to him, he was just so thankful and appreciative. And that really brings a humble perspective on life. We all have a tendency to take things for granted whether we mean to or not, but the way Tyson made sure to express his heartfelt gratitude every step of the way was just so genuine.”

And so, the plans were set. On the day the Florida Gators were going to honor the military and wear commemorative black jerseys against Arkansas, the Gator Good Foundation would be bringing Tyson Wills to a packed Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to experience a true Gator football game day for the first time in his life.

First, though, we had a little surprise in store for Tyson.

Under the pretense of coming back for yet another interview with our team, we set up a Zoom call to break the news to Tyson in an unforgettable way. Former Florida All-American tight end Ben Troupe, who comes from a military family himself, happens to be one of Tyson’s favorite Gators- and a few minutes into our “interview” with Tyson, he suddenly popped onto the screen. Surprise!

Stunned, Tyson screamed with delight. He quickly calmed down, at least enough to have a detailed discussion with Ben about the current state of affairs with the Gator program.

After a few minutes, Ben could no longer contain himself. “So, you’ve heard about Florida wearing black jerseys this year?” the former All-American casually asked our winner.

“So I’d already ordered one,” Tyson explained. “A long, long time ago. I had it custom-made and shipped to me overseas. I’ve never worn it though, I’ve been waiting for the right time.”

“You ordered one well before Florida even announced it would wear them?” an incredulous Ben Troupe followed up. “Oh yeah!” Tyson exclaimed. “Oh yeah.”

“Well, Tyson,” Ben replied, “Make sure you wear it November 4 because you’ve got an all-expense paid trip to Gainesville for the Arkansas-Florida game.”

And that was when Tyson- noted for his stoic demeanor and no-nonsense attitude while serving in the Air Force- lost his mind. Tears flowed as the American hero struggled to find the words to express his gratitude.

Although Florida unfortunately didn’t win the game, Tyson said that the experience not only lived up to his hopes but exceeded them. It started on Friday night at the Florida Victorious Operation Diamond Deck event, where he met with dozens of current Gator athletes, plus a few former football players. And it only got better from there.

Shortly before 10:00 am on Saturday, Tyson and his son Tyson Jr. (TJ) arrived for the Gator Walk. Fans who’d heard his story cleared a path for the two of them, allowing them to be front and center to slap the players high-fives and wish them well. But as cool as that was for Tyson and TJ, the father and son nearly fainted when star players Trevor Etienne and Graham Mertz sought them out to thank them for their service. “I heard you’re the man today,” Mertz told Tyson. “Thank you for everything.”

Florida quarterback Graham Mertz and running back Trevor Etienne stop in the middle of the Gator Walk to welcome Tyson to Gainesville and thank him for his service. (Photo credit: Neil Shulman, In All Kinds Of Weather)

Tyson couldn’t believe it. “He said I’M THE MAN!” he exclaimed in euphoria. “HE SAID I’M THE MAN TODAY. THAT’S OUR QUARTERBACK AND HE JUST SAID I’M THE MAN!”

Indeed, he was. And in case there was any doubt, Tyson was invited onto the field after the game to meet the players and sing the alma mater with the team.

“I got to tailgate outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium and then sit fifteen rows off the field at the 40-yard line to watch the game,” Tyson commented. “I got to hear that Gator band in person, got to sing Won’t Back Down with 85,000 other people. And I was thinking, I’m living in my own dream right now. Like, there’s no possible way it can get any better. And then it did. I got to step onto this field I’ve been watching on TV my entire life from three different continents.”

Tyson met a slew of Gators in the aftermath of the game. Even though they were dejected about the outcome, they each took the time to thank him for his service . And Tyson was floored each time. “ Cam Jackson thanked ME,” Tyson declared. “ Austin Barber thanked ME. Arlis Boardingham thanked ME. Kelby Collins thanked ME. Jaydon Hill thanked ME. Chris McClellan thanked ME. Ricky Pearsall thanked ME. I wasn’t looking for that, I just wanted to meet them, but it meant more to me than they might ever realize.”

Tyson went on to explain that as a member of the military, he’s often forgotten about. “I don’t serve my country looking for anything in return,” he said. “I serve because I want to and I feel I need to. But it’s still great to hear a heartfelt thank you every now and then. Too often, those of us who serve are forgotten. Not even intentionally. People just have too much going on in their lives to think about us. So a simple ‘thank you for your service’ means the world.”

Thank you for your service, Tyson. (Photo credit: Tyson Wills)

Perhaps that’s why coach Billy Napier and the Gators set aside this game to honor the military and express their thanks to those who serve. The team wore special black jerseys with one of the team’s five core values on the nameplates, UF ROTC members were chosen to lead the famous “Two Bits” cheer before the game, and the school honored various military members, veterans, and first responders throughout the game on the field and on the video boards.

While Arkansas finished the game with more points on the scoreboard than Florida, this day was unquestionably a win in a much larger way. Because this day was about so much more than football. It was about honoring those who are willing to take the ultimate risk and put their lives on the line for our country. Napier likes to say that football can teach you a lot about life, and if Tyson’s final thank you to those who made his day possible was any indication, it certainly has.

“The day I got married and the day each of my kids were born were the happiest days of my life,” Tyson said with a smile. “Nothing else even comes close to this. Other than those days, this is the happiest day of my life. I truly mean that; this is the happiest day of my life since my last son was born. Even though we lost, just being able to experience this was an absolute dream come true. Thank you so much, Gator Nation, that’s how happy you made this veteran.”

A Message From Our GGF Team

As we put a bow on this year’s campaign, our team would like to elucidate our heartfelt thanks to everyone who made Tyson’s special day possible.

Thank you to Lisa Ben-Chaim, the Director of Player Engagement for Florida Victorious who alerted Graham Mertz and Trevor Etienne to Tyson’s story and thus made Tyson’s heart melt on the Gator Walk. Thank you to Rob Yormack, who has been donating tickets to our cause ever since we first started. Thank you to Graham and Trevor, as well as Austin Barber, Cam Jackson, Jaydon Hill, Kelby Collins, Chris McClellan, Ricky Pearsall, Arlis Boardingham, Ja’Quavion Fraziars, and Mark Hocke for making the effort to personally thank Tyson for his service.

Last, but certainly not least: from the bottom of our hearts, thank you, Florida Gator fans everywhere. You made this happen. You are the heartbeat that makes our organization run. This would not have been possible without the generosity of each and every one of you.

With tremendous gratitude,

Anthony Urrabazo, President

Taylor Reimsnyder, Vice President

Neil Shulman, Digital Content Director

Jen Grosso, Secretary

Matt Marino, Treasurer

Help Us Get Started On 2024

Our 2023 campaign has just wrapped up, but it’s never too early to start thinking ahead to 2024.

These campaigns are among the most joyful things that we do in our lives, but they do take some work to make happen. The earlier we’re able to accrue enough funds for next year’s campaign, the more special we can make it. So if you’re able to, please donate to our cause here or by simply clicking the button below. We really appreciate your support, and we can’t wait to get to work on our 2024 campaign!

Where are Tyson's parents today?

The situation involving Tyson's parents has a happy ending, too.

Tyson says that seeing their trials and tribulations with drugs was extremely difficult for him, but that it also inspired him to become the man he is today. Yet the story of his parents is more than just one that motivated Tyson himself. His parents persevered through their struggles as well.

One day, Tyson says, his mom woke up and simply decided, "I'm not going to do this anymore. This isn't me. And this isn't what I want my kids to be."

Tyson's mom kicked her habit in 1993, and his father defeated his habit in 2001. Though the two aren't married, they remain good friends to this day.

Tyson's father currently works at a plastic mill, and his mom currently works as a home care aid for elderly people to enhance their lives.

#GGF2022 Campaign: Alec & Bennett

Wed, 12 Oct 2022 20:11:51 GMT

2022 Gator Good Foundation Campaign: Alec and Bennett

Each year since 2018, The Gator Good Foundation has been bringing deserving Florida Gator fans to their first ever Florida football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.

In 2018, we brought Kentavien "Scoot" Walker to watch the Florida Gators defeat the South Carolina Gamecocks, 35-31. In 2019, we brought Austin Nevis to watch Florida crush the Vanderbilt Commodores, 56-0. In 2020, COVID relegated us to a virtual campaign, in which we provided with Zach London and his family with a fresh assortment of Florida Gators gear. In 2021, we brought Ontario Jones to watch Florida blow out the Tennessee Volunteers, 38-14.

Never before, though, has The Gator Good Foundation brought two winners in a single season's campaign. Never before, that is- until now.

Alec Gluckman is a 17 year old boy living in Wellington, FL who competes on his high school wrestling team. Bennett Esquenazi is two years younger, and a huge Gator fan. The two have been the best of friends since birth, and in fact their families are so close that the boys interchangeably refer to each other as friends and cousins. For most of their childhoods, Alec and Bennett could be found throwing footballs to each other or shooting hoops.

But in the fall of 2021, both their lives changed.

During a wrestling match one year ago, Alec felt something wrong in his leg and dropped to the ground. He immediately knew he wouldn't be able to continue. Though he hoped it would just be a minor setback, it turned out that he had torn his ACL.

Alec was disheartened but soldiered on anyway. He figured he would just go through rehab and be back to normal within a year or so. But a few weeks after his surgery to repair the torn ACL, Alec suddenly started shaking uncontrollably while watching a Florida Panthers hockey game. He was having a seizure, and would subsequently be diagnosed with epilepsy.

Despite all that he had been through, Alec vowed not to allow his setbacks to define him. On a daily basis, Alec would push himself to the point of complete exhaustion with his rehab, and then bring the biggest smile to his family dinner table.

Alec also saw his fate as an opportunity to give back to his community, and help others going through the same things as he was. He raised $4,500 to help those with epilepsy via the Palm Beach County Epilepsy Walk. He has also taken the time to mentor other kids battling epilepsy and coach them through their most difficult times, and earned the Epilepsy Alliance Florida’s Clayton Feig Youth Award for his courage and devotion to the cause.

But even with his perennially positive attitude, the rehab process from his ACL, along with his adjustment to life with epilepsy, brought some difficult moments. It's in moments like these that everybody needs a best friend to lean on, and Bennett was more than willing to fill that role.

For the totality of the last year, Bennett selflessly gave up hours upon hours from his nights and weekends to be there for his friend, encouraging him to push through his rehab and then unwinding with him afterwards. Before Alec had been injured, the two had spent large quantities of time together, but it was usually around an event, or a video game, or some other athletic activity. Now, with his friend Alec physically unable to do many of these things, the two would just spend their spare time talking and getting to know each other better than ever before.

One thing Bennett learned about his old friend was that while Alec was a big sports fan in general, he had never really embraced the magic of college football. So Bennett began to teach Alec the ins and outs of being a Florida Gator fan, from the lyrics of Tom Petty's "Won't Back Down" to the history of the program and everything in between. By the time the 2022 season kicked off, Alec had been fully converted into a Gator fan- and more importantly, was able to walk without assistance.

The selflessness, courage, devotion, and loyalty demonstrated by Alec and Bennett earned them both a trip to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to see their Gators. So after an initial interview with the boys, The Gator Good Foundation brought Alec and Bennett onto another zoom call under the pretense of asking them a few more questions. Suddenly, onto the zoom call popped Florida defensive back Jadarrius (JD) Perkins, who broke the news to them: they had won an all-expenses-paid trip to Gainesville to watch Florida take on Missouri!

The boys' mouths visibly dropped open in shock. They couldn't believe it. "Is this real?" a stunned Alec asked Perkins. "Yes," a laughing Perkins replied. "It's real. Y'all are coming to the Swamp!"

Before signing off, Perkins made a promise to Alec and Bennett. "Y'all are going to love it," he declared. "I promise y'all are going to love it."

Promise kept.

The day began at the Gator Walk, where the boys got high fives from coach Billy Napier and several players. After spending some time at the Gator Collective tailgate , the boys and their mothers went up to the Champions Club to watch the game , a 24-17 Florida victory over Missouri. Along the way, Alec got to partake in some of his new favorite traditions that his best friend had introduced to him, with that best friend of his, such as singing " We Are The Boys " and " Won't Back Down ."

The real treat, though, came after the game.

As soon as Florida had taken the final knee to cap their victory over Missouri, Alec and Bennett ran down to the stairwell where the players exit the stadium. Over two dozen players stopped to sign their jerseys and football, including Ricky Pearsall, Donovan McMillon , Anthony Richardson , and of course, their new best friend JaDarrius Perkins !

And the boys' days still weren't done. They loved absorbing the Florida Gators experience so much, they decided to stick around and watch the Florida volleyball game! To their delight, Mary Wise's Gators defeated LSU to cap their day in style- a day that they both agreed was perfect.

One moment in particular appears to have been the perfect thumbnail for their perfect day. After the boys had finished collecting their autographs, Anthony Richardson was gracious enough to hang around and get to know the boys and hear their story. Upon learning of their trials and tribulations, as well as how much Alec had enjoyed his first Gator game with his best friend, Richardson turned his head and gave the boys a genuine smile. "That's awesome," he told Alec and Bennett. "Y'all are awesome."

Indeed, they are.

A message from the GGF team

To everybody who helped make this year's campaign possible, from the bottom of our hearts: thank you. We truly could not have made this happen without each and every one of you!

Now, because it's never too early to plan ahead, our attention is officially turning over to our 2023 campaign. We would love to be able to execute another campaign next season, but we need your help to do so! If you would like to donate to our foundation and help us get a head start on our #GGF2023 campaign, simply click the button below or follow this link .

We'll see you next year!

#GGF2021 Campaign: Ontario

proadAccountId-431627 — Wed, 11 Aug 2021 16:35:51 GMT

Introducing Ontario Jones, the 2021 Gator Good Foundation campaign recipient

UPDATE: we can officially report that Ontario Jones had the time of his life.

During a pregame tailgate, Ontario was presented with a football signed by former Florida Heisman/national championship winning quarterback Danny Wuerffel. After the game, Ontario got to meet several Gator football players, including Ethan White, Zach Carter, and Diwun Black. And best of all, the Gators got the win- and in a big way! After a bit of a slow start, Florida turned it on in the second half and blew Tennessee away, 38-14!

Special thank you to each and every Gator fan who helped make this happen. See you again next year!

(Original blog post begins below.)

Every season, the Gator Good Foundation comes together to bring an underprivileged, but deserving, Florida Gator football fan to a Gator football game for the first time.

At least, that’s the plan . It’s a plan that we executed to great success in 2018 as well as in 2019 , but a plan that COVID-19 threw a monkey wrench into a year ago and relegated us to a virtual campaign in 2020 . It was our pleasure to provide the London family with an awesome Gator swag bag during a difficult time for them- but now, in 2021, the time has come for us to get back to doing what we originally set out to do: help make a special Gator fan’s dream of experiencing Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on a Saturday in the fall a reality.

We received no shortage of deserving applicants for this year’s campaign. The purpose of a non-profit organization is to help those in need experience something they ordinarily would not be able to experience, and after a year off, we had a surplus of candidates who fit that bill. So it is after a long, exhaustive search that we at the Gator Good Foundation believe we have found the perfect candidate.

Meet Ontario Jones, our 2021 winner. Ontario is a diehard Florida Gator fan from just outside of Oklahoma City, and a distant cousin of former Gator quarterback Gavin Dickey. Despite his diehard fandom, Ontario has unfortunately never been able to attend a Gator football game due to various obstacles throughout his life, as well as being stationed overseas to serve our country in the Army.

During a laser training while serving in the Army, Ontario suffered an eye injury. While examining him in the aftermath of the accident, doctors discovered that he suffers from a rare eye disease called retinitis pigmentos a. As a result, his eyesight is slowly fading, and thus, his window to physically see his beloved Gators play is too. His peripheral vision is gone, and his ability to see straight ahead is gradually decreasing.

It is our great pleasure, honor, and privilege to be able to bring this American hero to his first ever Florida Gators football game in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, on September 25th, against the Tennessee Volunteers. As we always say, college football Saturdays in Gainesville are nothing short of magical, and every single person who bleeds orange and blue should have the opportunity to experience that magic for himself or herself at least once.

This year, however, we could use Gator fans' help more than ever to pull off our campaign. Because Ontario lives so far away, we will need additional funds for flights, something we did not have to account for in past campaigns. To donate to our campaign, please click here .

We are also still looking for two tickets to the Florida-Tennessee game for Ontario and his wife; if anybody has two tickets together that they are willing to donate, that would be greatly appreciated. To donate tickets, please email us: gatorgoodfoundation@gmail.com.

From the bottom of our hearts, we thank each and every one of our donors for helping us make this happen. The past year has been a dark time for many, but thanks to the acts of kindness Gator fans shown this past year, a truly special Gator fan will have a set of memories he will never forget.

Ontario Jones: thank you for your service. See you in Gainesville. And get ready for the experience of your life.

2020/21 virtual campaign: Meet the Londons

netgalaxystudios@digitalproductsuite.com — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 20:07:58 GMT

Our 2020 (errr, winter of 2021) virtual campaign is underway!

2020 presented a great deal of challenges for most of earth's population. However, we at the Gator Good Foundation like to focus on the positives, and one undeniable positive of 2020 for us was the privilege of being introduced to a tight-knit Broward County family that's recently faced more than its fair share of adversity.

Meet the Londons, the winners of our 2020/2021 virtual campaign. Zach London is a 13 year old die hard Gator fan who suffers from asthma, and is stuck at home attending school virtually these days. His mother Alison (UF Class of 1999) has recently battled, and most importantly, beaten cancer; his father, Brian, lost his job as a sports talk show host due to COVID-19, forcing the Londons to have to make do on Alison's salary as a teacher as Brian searches for work.

Meanwhile, Zach has been a rock-solid presence within the London household. He always does whatever he can to help his parents amidst their own struggles, and has done a remarkable job keeping his grades up despite the challenges around him (not to mention the challenge of virtual schooling!). His parents and his family friends all believed that the Gator Good Foundation was the perfect way to reward him for thriving in the face of incredible difficulties, and as soon as we heard his story, we agreed. The opportunity to reward a kid's success in the classroom and provide his hard-working parents with something to smile about made our decision for us.

So, what exactly are we doing for the London family? Well, a couple of things.

First and foremost, thanks to the generosity of each and every single one of y'all who donated to our cause, we had a good amount of money left over from our 2018 and 2019 campaigns without needing to generate more funds amidst the pandemic. We used some of that money to replenish the London family's supply of Gator gear, as that isn't a luxury they can afford these days. Among the items we sent them: a Ring of Honor t-shirt, a 2008 national championship- 10 year anniversary t-shirt, smack talking rivalry game victory shirts with "44-28" and "40-17" proudly displayed across the chest, a throwback white helmet that they can use as a centerpiece for any room, various 2020 SEC East Champions gear, and an adjustable 2019 Capital One Orange Bowl Champions hat- the same ones that the players wore for the on-field postgame trophy presentation. So thanks to you guys, all three of them can now proudly don gear that shows off the Gator football team's recent achievements.

The other main component to our 2020/21 virtual campaign is still in the works. We are looking to put together a video chat of current and former Gators with the Londons, in our best attempt to virtually mimic the postgame scene outside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium where fans meet with players for autographs and pictures. If you are a current or former player who is interested in participating, or if you know one who might be interested, let us know by clicking that contact tab at the top of the page and reaching out to us! And this isn't just limited to football players; if you're a former Gator athlete of any sport, and you'd like to be involved, let us know! When we have a roster of current and former Gators set (we're looking for anywhere between 10-15), we'll begin to work on a date to make that happen.

Again, we thank each and every one of y'all from the bottom of our collective hearts for making this happen. And the Londons would like to extend the same sentiment.

Statement on our plans for the 2020 campaign

netgalaxystudios@digitalproductsuite.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:19:47 GMT

Due to COVID-19, we have decided that it is not feasible to bring a fan to Ben Hill Griffin Stadium for a Florida Gator football game in 2020. The mission of the Gator Good Foundation is to provide an underprivileged Gator fan with the experience of a lifetime, and even with the precautions that the University of Florida is taking, we do not believe that such an experience is possible in the middle of a pandemic. As disappointed as we are, we feel that the responsible thing to do is wait until the spring of 2021 and begin to re-evaluate things then.

However, by no means are we taking the year off. We are currently in the process of putting together a care package for a deserving fan in 2020. The exact details of the package are still being worked out, but its goal will ultimately be the same as it is when we bring a fan to the stadium: to enhance his or her experience of cheering for the Florida Gators as much as possible. We expect to announce the contents of the package soon.

In the meantime, we are still looking for candidates for both the care package this season and to take to a game when it becomes safe to do so. If you believe that you or someone you know is worthy of consideration, please reach out to us with as many details as possible- either via direct message on social media or by email (gatorgoodfoundation@gmail.com). If you would like to donate to our cause, the links to do so are in the bios of our various social media pages.

Above all else, we hope everybody stays safe and healthy as we continue to battle through this unprecedented array of turbulence.

Go Gators!

#GGF2019 Campaign: Austin

proadAccountId-431627 — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:17:26 GMT

After our successful 2018 campaign that saw us bring Scoot to the 2018 Florida-South Carolina game, we began actively looking for candidates to replicate the experience for in 2019. After a long and difficult search, we settled on Austin Nevins, a 19 year old from Nashville. Austin, a high school sophomore, has experienced severe health problems since birth, including stomach and kidney complications, strokes, seizures, learning and speech disabilities, and ADHD. Throughout his many challenges and the surgeries required to address them, he developed a lifelong love of Gator football. As his aunt told us, Gator football is the one thing in a life filled with stress that calms him down.

Just as we did with Scoot, we quickly raised over $1,500 for Austin's first ever Gator football experience against his hometown Vanderbilt Commodores, which included a Gainesville hotel, a special Gator-themed cake for him at a pregame tailgate, and plenty of Gator gear. This time around, we were also able to secure club level seats for Austin and his aunt Kelsey thanks to an extremely generous donation from the Gator fan who had purchased them. Thus, Austin got to enjoy the 56-0 beatdown Florida handed Vanderbilt that day in style, smiling from ear to ear each of the eight times the Gators reached the end zone and the school fight song blared throughout the stadium.

Then Austin's fun really began. Following the game's conclusion, Austin stopped by the stadium exit where the players came out, where he got to take pictures with players and obtain their autographs on his assortment of gear. After an hour or so, when the players cleared out, Austin was welcomed over to the house of Florida linebacker James Houston IV, where the entire Houston family made a point to introduce themselves and talk to him about his favorite subject.

Throughout the weekend, WUFTV reporter Zach Oliveri was there every step of the way to document Austin's experience. The resulting story he produced elicited a five word description of the experience from Austin that we strive to make happen for every future candidate: "Today's been the best day."

#GGF2018 Campaign: Scoot

netgalaxystudios@digitalproductsuite.com — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 18:09:32 GMT

Our story began in 2018.

Well before we were an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation, and before we even had a name, we were just five Gator fans who had heard the heartbreaking story of a young man named Kentavien "Scoot" Walker, who suffers from a learning disability. Scoot, a high school student in southern Georgia who served as a manager of his high school football team, was bullied by the same students he was spending his time helping. Despite the incessant hazing, Scoot continued washing the team's dirty uniforms and equipment until one day it reached a breaking point and he told his mother about it, who promptly expressed her hurt for her son in a Facebook post.

That Facebook post quickly took off, and soon enough, it was revealed that Scoot was a die hard Gator fan who had never been to a Gator football game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. So we teamed up to create a GoFundMe account designed to pay for all the expenses required to bring Scoot to his first ever Gator football game.

To our delight, we quickly raised over $1,500, which was more than enough to acquire game tickets to Florida's 2018 SEC finale against South Carolina, a hotel room in Gainesville, food for Scoot and his family for the weekend and an assortment of Gator gear to take home. Scoot also got to enjoy an exclusive tour of the stadium and take the field for the pre-game color guard ceremony before taking his seat and watching Florida erase a late 31-14 deficit to shock the Gamecocks in a 35-31 victory. After the game, Scoot met several Gator players, who were more than happy to pose for pictures with him and sign some of the gear he'd received, and he went home with memories he would never forget.

The campaign was so successful that we decided to begin doing the same thing for a different die hard Gator fan every year. And thus, the Gator Good Foundation was born.