The Jills at the Health Expo and Stereo Advantage appearance-revisited

Every January, the Eastern Hills Mall in Williamsville has played host to a Heath and Wellness Expo is designed to give area families important health information from local businesses and organizations. Several healthy living activities being presented included blood pressure screening, flu shots, martial arts and workout demonstrations. The Jills' part of this event was more than the usual posing for photos and signing autographs, although they did that as well. Besides being a model of what healthy and fit women generally aspire to look like, they worked with the Coca-Cola bottling company of Buffalo, NY handing out samples of Fuze Orange Blossom White Tea to mall shoppers.
When I got there, Alyssa and Jackie had been on the job for over an hour and had already met a lot of fans. I hung off to the side, grabbing a few photos when fans were there and talking to the girls when they were free. Before long, Amanda and Lisa showed up to take over. Before leaving, Alyssa made sure to let me know she expected me at the appearance she was headed to next after she grabbed some lunch, a few miles away at Stereo Advantage in Williamsville.

Jackie, Amanda, Alyssa, and Lisa

After some time spent with and photographing these beauties, it was on to Stereo Advantage where some more of the Jills were on hand to help promote their Football Theater systems. As part of the event, the Jills signed people up to win an autographed Paul Posluszny jersey at an event that included free food for shoppers and the chance to buy Buffalo football-themed t-shirts with proceeds from the sales going to the American Red Cross for the Haitian Relief Effort. On hand for the event when I arrived were 3rd year vet Angelina, 2nd year vet Murissa, and rookie Nicole. It wasn't long after I arrived that Alyssa and Courteney showed up to help out  In addition to what I previously said, the girls got to explore the store and check out the comfy theater that Stereo Advantage has on display with a large HD TV and big comfy seating.

Alyssa, Murissa, Angelina, and Nicole showing off the shirts

After spending some time at Stereo Advantage with these 5 beautiful ladies, I wanted to make sure the last shift of Jills at the Health Expo got some attention as well so it was back on the road to the Eastern Hills Mall where 3rd year vet Jessica and rookie ambassador Ruby were on hand, having taken over from Lisa and Amanda a little while earlier. In addition to handing out Fuze and posing for pictures, Jess and Ruby took a crack at Channel 2's prize wheel. WGRZ Channel 2's booth was set up right next door to educate people about breast cancer.

Jess and Ruby back at the Health Fair

See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/7270
From the Bandettes comes a photo from Bandettes alum day before the March game against Minnesota. Shown posing for the camera are Beth, Kelsey, and Alicia.  Beth had a long, eventful career as a Bandette with two 3-year stints, the 1st ending after a Bandits title and the 2nd ending when she joined the Jills. Kelsey followed in her sister Danielle's footsteps both literally and figuratively dancing in the same spot during games each year that her sister had as well as calling it quits after 2 seasons. Alicia only spent a season on the squad but when you consider how much she loves the Bandits, I have to imagine she'll look at a return sometime soon.

Beth, Kelsey, and Alicia

2009 Chiefs and Falcons Away game parties-revisited

In mid-December, soon after a big snowstorm was hitting the ground in Buffalo, the Bills were on the road in Kansas City starting up the final quarter of the season with a 4-8 record. The day after the Bandits Open Practice, it was back up to Buffalo for another Away Game party at the Aud. Rookies Courteney and Kelly were on hand for the event and more than capable of lifting everyone's spirits during a rough season. Courteney was already well-known for her positivity and Kelly just knows how to talk to people.

Courteney and Kelly

See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/6990
In week 16, the Bills had one away game left and for the Falcons game, Kaitlin and Michelle were on tap at the Aud. All throughout the season, the Jills would mingle with the patrons and after the Jills left for the day, the bar manager made a point of telling me how Kaitlin and Michelle really excelled with the customers, a pretty nice compliment I was able to share with them later.

Kaitlin and Michelle with The Aud's manager

See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/7089
From the Bandettes comes another photo from alumnae night against Minnesota. Shown posing for a photo are Melissa and Meghan. Besides their Bandettes connection, they also have another connection of sorts...the Jills! After leaving the Bandettes after a squad-record 7 seasons, Melissa was with the Jills from 2011-2013 and while Meghan was never on the Jills herself, her older sister was in 2002. As a matter of fact, that's how she introduced herself to me when she first made the Bandettes.

Melissa and Meghan

2009 Titans and Jags Away game parties-revisited

The fun kept going at the Aud for away game parties in 2009 the day after the Jills Fundraiser. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep that night as I worked at getting the photos from the previous night's event up by 7am and then I was back up in Depew around noon. Joining me at around 1 were two Jills that had seen it all, except the playoffs. Eileen and Omarlla were in their 10th season on the squad having joined in 2000 and even though this was their 1st away game party in 2009 (Omarlla had done one at Rhino's the previous season), they knew what they were doing without any instructions or guidance.

Eileen and Omarlla

Unfortunately, the Sole appearances were at an end, something I didn't learn until I got there at halftime. Truth be told, I had wondered about how feasible the appearances were as Sole is hardly known as a sports bar. My concerns were well-founded as attendance was sparse to say the least, with a dozen or so people in the dining room and rarely more than a couple other people in the bar area with me, the bartender, and the Jills' guest bartender. See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/6770
The following week, the Bills were back on the road again in Jacksonville and on-hand at the Aud for the Edge Away game party were Stephanie B and Jess. Stephanie had never done one of these but Jess had done one at Rhino's the previous season, just after finding out that she was the Jills' Pro Bowler. The 2009 appearance was Stephanie's time to shine as she was the reigning Buffalo Jill of The Week at the time. She did get some notice for it...mostly from the bar's DJ, was was a huge Jills fan and reader of the Blog...though mostly because he wanted to see the pictures that he posed for with the Jills every week...lol.

Stephanie and Jess with  Mickey from The Edge

See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/6776
From the Bandettes comes a photo from the March game against the Minnesota Swarm when several alumnae were on hand to celebrate 15 years of the Bandettes! Shown posing for the camera are Alexis and Richelle. Interesting notes...Alexis probably had the most fun of anyone at the Buffalo Auto Show posing for a pic in a car with basically the same name as her. Richelle, on the other hand, had more fun than anyone could expect to have at a rock concert as, just prior to the 2006 season, she and her squadmate Danielle B got to join their favorite band onstage.

Alexis (2009-10) and Richelle (2005-07)

Bandits schedule released!

Yesterday, we got the 716ers schedule and today the NLL has released its schedule, telling us exactly when we can see the Buffalo Bandits in action and the NLL's premier dance team, the Buffalo Bandettes, performing!

• Calgary Roughnecks 1/9 7:30pm
• at Colorado Mammoth 1/16 9pm
• Toronto Rock 1/23 7:30pm
• at New England Black Wolves 1/30 7pm
• New England Black Wolves 2/6 7:30pm
• at Georgia Swarm 2/14 2pm
• at Toronto Rock 2/19 8pm
• Georgia Swarm 2/20 7:30pm
• at Saskatchewan Rush 2/26 8:30p
• at Vancouver Stealth 3/5 10pm
• Rochester Knighthawks 3/11 7:30pm
• Vancouver Stealth 3/25 7:30pm
• at Georgia Swarm 4/2 7pm
• Rochester Knightawks 4/9 7:30pm
• at Toronto Rock 4/15 8pm
• Toronto Rock 4/16 7:30pm
• at Rochester Knighthawks 4/23 7:30
• New England Black Wolves 4/30

Included in the schedule are 4 games against the hated Toronto Rock, including a home-and-home series in mid-April. The 3 matchups against Rochester will be home-heavy with 2 games in Buffalo and the only game in Rochester coming in the next to the last week of the season.

The season will start later than it has the last few years since the switch to the 18-game schedule, with the 1st games not taking place until New Year's Day with the Bandits opening up the following weekend. Finally, there are a few notable changes coming as the Minnesota Swarm has moved to Georgia while the Edmonton Rush moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Also, for the 1st time in their history, the legendary John Tavares won't be on the field sporting his familiar #11 as he's retired from his playing days just last week. He won't be that far away however as he'll be behind the bench as an offensive coach in 2016.

The Bandettes are getting in gear for tryouts as they will be holding an open and optional dance clinic on September 22 with tryouts coming October 3 and 4. Everything will be held at the Catalyst Fitness on French Road in Depew. Get full details on all of that at http://www.bandits.com/newsX.asp?type=News&aID=490

Buffalo 716ers schedule released!

Today, the Buffalo 716ers Basketball team released their 2015-16 schedule so you can see when you can watch Buffalo's only pro basketball team play as well as see LaToya and Loren's Lady 716ers perform! Speaking of the Lady 716ers, tryouts are THIS FRIDAY!!
All home games this year at the Burt Flickinger Center just a few blocks from Coca Cola Field and season and individual tickets are all now available for purchase at https://www.showclix.com/events/21580

2009 Buffalo Jills Fundraiser-revisited

The Buffalo Jills Fundraiser had become an annual and popular event by 2009 put together to raise funds to help cover the costs of the annual Swimsuit Calendar trip. Held at SoHo Bar, the Jills brought in pizza and wings from various places around Buffalo and the money that fans paid for tickets to this event allowed them all the pizza and wings they could eat as well as free drinks and the chance to meet the beauties that made up the Buffalo Jills.

Eileen and Omarlla

Michelle and Lindsay

Kaitlin, Val, and Murissa

As was the norm, I was one of the first people there to help set up with posters and snacks and by the time we had it all set up, the Jills started arriving with the food. Something new for 2009 tied in with one of the Jills sponsors. Merritt Winery in Forestville was a sponsor of the Jills in 2009 and included at the event was a wine-tasting table where a pair of the Jills were on hand to hand out free samples and help with wine sales. All but a trio of the Jills' 37-girl squad was in attendance for the event which included plenty of raffles and a few special appearances. No one knows about the hard work that the girls put in to these events more than former Jills and 5 alumni put in an appearance at the event to support their former squad. A former long-time Bandettes captain even put in an appearance to support one of her friends on the squad.

Jill and Kelly with Jills photographers Jeff and Snjezana Fisher

Kelly and Bandettes alum Erin H

Gabrielle and Lynn enjoying the night air

Omarlla, Kelly, Murissa, and Jills alum Kelly H

One thing that didn't happen that normally happened at Jills events was a dance performance. With the November date for this event, it just wasn't feasible to put on a performance on SoHo's rooftop patio that year.

Jills alums Danielle, Kristin B, Alecia, and Stacy

You can see all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/12459
From the Bandettes comes a photo from the March game against Minnesota. Celebrating the 15th year of the Bandettes, several alumnae were on hand before, during, and after the game, including greeting fans after they came up the escalators to the 100 level. Shown posing for a photo are Casey and Amanda T. Longtime fans will remember Casey from the Bombshells and the Rush as well as from the Bandettes, including during the Bandits championship season! Of course in those days, she was a blonde, something that threw Amanda for a loop when we told her.

Casey and Amanda