2009 Jills Bike Wash for Mercy Flight-revisited

The Jills have done a lot more than what is seen on the sidelines over the year, including helping out at charity events. One of those events was a Bike Wash raising money for Mercy Flight, an independent, not-for-profit provider of emergency air-medical transport and supporting services, ensuring rapid, safe and cost effective delivery of expert emergency response teams. In late May 2009, Buck's Motorsports in Akron hosted a fundraiser where motorcyclists could get their bikes washed in return for a donation to Mercy Flight and volunteering to help out with that were members of the Buffalo Jills.

Courteney, Katy, Jess, and Amanda with a freshly-washed bike and its owner

When I got there, Jess, Amanda F, Katy, and Courteney were already hard at work with several bikes. It was a little chilly for the end of May so if anyone had been hoping it'd be a bikini bike wash, they were let down....just a bit...though Jess was definitely ready for bikini weather wearing one under her shirt and shorts. After the girls washed the bikes, they posed with them and their owners for the cameras, with photos available from the Buck's photographer.
After a while, Alyssa B showed up and Amanda and Courteney took off for the day. One of the great things with the Jills is how much their families supported them but it was rare that we saw many of them outside of events. Alyssa's family even came to support her at this event,

Jess flashing a smile as she washes a bike

After we had been there for a bit, Nicole L showed up to help out and Katy took off soon afterwards. The girls got a bit of a break as they were all caught up and got to pose for photos both outside with Mercy Flight pilots and inside with some of the bikes for sale at Buck's. After getting a few more bikes washed after that, Alyssa took her leave for the day and Jess and Nicole got to check out more of the bikes inside the store.

Nicole L, Jess, and Alyssa B with one of the Mercy Flight pilots

Nicole L and Jess checking out the bikes in the store

See all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/4952
From the Bandettes comes a photo from the January game against Minnesota. As the squad was getting ready to head out to perform at 1st intermission, Mandy posed for a quick photo and then grabbed some of her squadmates for a group photo. Shown posing for the camera are Chrissy, Mandy, MaKenzie, and Janelle.

Chrissy, Mandy, MaKenzie, and Janelle

Bandettes advertising for 26Shirts

For those unaware, 26Shirts is a company that sells sports-related t-shirts for a cause. $8 from every shirt goes to support a family in need. Founded by #BillsMafia co-founder Del Reid, each shirt is available for a total of 2 weeks and is not only supported by the athletes on the shirts, but is sometimes requested by the athlete. Originally, the shirts have been focused on the Bills but started including the Sabres last fall. Now it's time for the Bandits to get involved and who better than the legendary John Tavares, in his 24th season with the team. Past shirts have been advertised by fans and sometimes by the players they feature. In this case, Johnny and several of his teammates modeled the shirts for this design. In addition to the unisex styles that men or women can wear, 26Shirts also has ladies' styles and need models for those as well. The last shirt, which featured HOF RB Thurman Thomas, recruited his wife Patti for the job. This time, with the Bandits' star featured, 26Shirts recruited members of the NLL's premier dance team, the Bandettes as models. Showing off the shirts are 2nd year vet Mandy, 5-year alum Ashley, and 4th year vets Lauren and Stephanie.
The $8 from the Tavares shirt is being split in two, with $4 going to Braver Than Brave, the foundation started in memory of Tucker Willliams, the son of former Bandits star Shawn Williams who recently passed from his battle with Burkitt's Lymphoma. The foundation is dedicated to providing support and awareness of individuals and families battling serious illness. The other $4 is going to the Mental Health Association of Erie County, Inc, which promotes mental health and wellness in the local community and supports individuals and families who are challenged by mental illness. Mental health is a cause close to John Tavares' heart.
Order your shirts and sweatshirts at http://www.26shirts.com/ageless-wonder.html

2008 Toy Fund appearance-revisited

This week, we take a look back at an appearance from the summer of 2008, a charity appearance in which the Niagara Falls Fire Department raises funds to purchase toys for the children who might not otherwise be able to get any for Christmas. This is a drive they do every year with various events throughout the year. One event they've done over the years  is a 75-mile motorcycle run in June going from Wheatfield to the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Niagara Falls. In 2008, one of the sponsors of the motorcycle run was 97Rock and DJ Jickster was on hand as the master of ceremonies and members of the Buffalo Jills were on hand to help with the festivities.
I got there as the folks from 97Rock were just finishing getting set up, before the festivities got going and Jickster and I took that opportunity to head down to the Falls. Truth be told, a lot of Western New Yorkers take the Falls for granted because it's something we can check out anytime we want. Many of us leave it for the tourists, though and we're missing out not taking it all in on occasion. When we made it back, he started getting ready to go to work while I kept an eye out for the Jills who were going to be there. It wasn't long before I spotted Amanda F driving by in uniform, looking for a parking spot. Jickster gave a groan when he found out she was coming, only because they always had such a great working relationship, complete with light teasing back and forth, similar to the one I had with Ambassador Squad captain Kelly H. It wasn't long until Jenica and Vincenza arrived on the scene as well. They wasted little time getting to work as they spent time selling raffle tickets and posing for photos with fans, only taking a break to pose for photos on the Niagara Falls Fire Department's firetruck along with several of the firefighters.

Jenica, Amanda F, and Vincenza with Jickster

posing up on the firetruck

Anna and Murissa with the lady helping run things for the event

Murissa with some of her biggest fans

After their shift was done, it was time for the rookies to take over as Anna and Murissa took their spots for the rest of the day and Murissa didn't come alone as much of her family was there in support. However, their shift officially lasted past the end of the event and when their contact didn't have anything else for them to help with, the two of them took a walk with me down by the Falls, greeting fans along the way. After a short photo-shoot, we went back to see the girls' contact, who gave them permission to head out a little early.

A beautiful sight...Anna and Murissa with the Falls in the background

You can see all the pics at https://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/7476
From the Bandettes comes a photo from 1st intermission of the 2nd home game against the Toronto Rock. Prior to heading out for their performance, some of the girls wanted photos taken. Shown posing for a photo are Amanda and Chrissy.

Amanda and Chrissy

Buffalo Bandettes to Lead Pet Connection’s Tails on the Trails Dog Walk Event

Three members of the Buffalo Bandettes dance team will lead two- and four-legged walkers participating in the 7th annual Tails on the Trails dog walk to benefit Pet Connection Programs Inc. The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 2, at the Como Lake Park casino in Lancaster.
Immediately following the walk, the Bandettes will be available to sign autographs and pose for photos for a donation to Pet Connection. Other highlights of the event include dog agility and Good Citizen demonstrations, canvas dog paintings created by your dog, dog contests, a wide variety of vendors and even a pet psychic! Additionally, there will be a caricature artist, air brush and face painting, artistic balloons and a pet blessing at 10:30 a.m.
Read the rest at http://williamsville.wgrz.com/news/events/66060-buffalo-bandettes-lead-pet-connections-tails-trails-dog-walk-event

The Jills at the 3rd Annual Nathan George Softball Tourney

There are various charitable foundations in Western NY that the Jills come out in support of. The Nathan George Foundation was established in 2009 in memory of a young man beloved by many in Dunkirk, NY who lost his life in a car accident. The purpose of The Nathan George Foundation is to support community & school sports organizations in need within Northern Chautauqua County as well as awarding annual scholarships to athletes. They annually hold a spaghetti dinner and a softball tournament in August to support their goals and this year, Emily and Bri of the Buffalo Jills were on hand to help with raffle tickets and pose for pictures.

Bri and Emily with a future Jill
It was a beautiful day for the well-attended tournament with teams from several states away entered into the tournament. Walking around with the girls while they sold raffle tickets, I found out something interesting about Bri's background which I'll share when either she or her sister Jessica get their Jill of The Week feature. Emily, in her 2nd year on the squad, is more excited about getting on the field August 27th than she was last year because she knows what to expect and isn't so nervous. As a vet, she's also developed a protective instinct for the rookies. While Bri was helping someone with their raffle tickets, a pop fly came out of the softball field next to us and when someone yelled for people to watch out, Emily reached over Bri to protect her head. Luckily the ball landed several yards away and no one was hurt. See all the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/25877 and find out more about the Nathan George Foundation at http://thenathangeorgefoundation.com/

The Jills at the benefit for KatieLee Crandall

Living in the Southern Tier, it's pretty rare that I get the chance to get to a smaller Jills appearance, especially as far north as Niagara Falls. Sunday though, after spending time with a Jills alumnus who I became pretty good friends with during her time on the squad, I made it up to the new Buffalo Wild Wings on Military Road where a benefit was being held for KatieLee Crandall. KatieLee recently suffered multiple strokes and some of her friends put together a benefit to help with medical costs. As part of the benefit, a pair of rookie Buffalo Jills were on hand to help with raffles as well as sign autographs and pose for photos. As it turned out, Miranda is actually good friends with the girl who set the whole benefit up and while she and Kristina, who I hadn't met before then, greeted and talked to people, I spent a little time with Miranda's father, who gave me a little inside info on his beautiful daughter, some of which will be shared when she has her Jill of The Week feature this season. See the pics at http://buffaloprocheerbuffalojills.shutterfly.com/pictures/25696

Next week, Miranda and Kristina join the rest of the Jills at the 9th Annual Buffalo Jills Golf Tournament which appears to be sold out..so if you didn't order your tickets yet, you're really missing out. I don't golf myself but the Jills Golf Tourney has been the highlight of every summer since 2006 for me...although HoF weekend in 2009 was a close 2nd.

Big news with the Jills!

For the last month and a half, the Jills' main focus has been on getting the new squad installed and work on the 2011-12 Buffalo Jills Calendar. While making the calendar, FCI Photography has been shooting some video as well and in addition to the 1 that was put up on the 97Rock website, they've been adding the videos to Facebook as well and they can all be found on the Buffalo Jills' Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Buffalo-Bills-Cheerleaders-The-Jills/235160647654

The girls have still been participating in some smaller appearances as well and will be at the 3rd Annual BBQ & Blues Bash on June 17th, an event to support the Gateway-Longview Foundation. The event runs from 5-9 on Mississippi Street in Buffalo with all details, including ticket info, found at http://www.bbqbluesbash.com/

On June 24th, the entire Jills squad will be at Ralph Wilson Stadium as the Buffalo Bills are unveiling their new uniforms. The Jills will be on hand to greet fans coming in and put on a pair of performances for the fans in attendance. In addition, with the Bills having new uniforms, the Jills wouldn't exactly match with them with the uniforms they wore last season so we're looking at a uniform update from them as well. The event includes a musical performance by Tom Sartori, the video of which can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5vPcVtGXJQ&feature=youtu.be , on-field access and the screening of a movie yet to be determined. See all the details as well as free ticket info at http://www.buffalobills.com/news/article-1/Bills-to-unveil-new-uniforms-at-Uniform-Launch-event/04ea0376-c126-407d-b9c6-9ab1ce0e9f6e

Finally, the Jills are holding their annual cheerleader camp at NCCC once again with the camp running from July 10-14. This camp allows young ladies a week to work with the Jills and choreographer Kelli Wagner. Get all the details and registration, liability, and health forms at http://www.niagaracc.suny.edu/wfcd/camps/#tabs-1

From The Sidelines To The Frontlines

A big part of being an NFL cheerleader means not only performing on game day but also participating in the community at various events and charities. Each year, the NFL provides a lot of support to our United States Troops whether it is on or off the field. Players, Coaches and Cheerleaders hold various celebratory events in honor of the men and women serving our country.

In 2006, two former NFL Cheerleaders, Bari Yonkers and Tonya Helman founded an organization called Sweethearts For Soldiers. SFS is a non-profit public charity that provides troop entertainment and support both stateside and overseas. The mission of the Sweethearts’ is to raise morale and bring a touch of home to the brave men and women who are fighting for our freedoms. During their time in the NFL, Yonkers and Helman were given the opportunity to participate in several tours to support our military and both felt it was the most rewarding aspect of their job.

Read the rest of Heather's article at http://proplayerinsiders.com/from-the-sidelines-to-the-frontlines/

The Sweethearts For Soldiers website is at http://www.sweetheartsforsoldiers.com/

The 2011 squad features 2004 Jills alumnus Sarita among its members.

HELP: Christmas is for Kids 2010

For the 17th consecutive year, 97 Rock and our listeners are throwing a party for a few hundred Western New York kids who might not have a Christmas otherwise.

Our Christmas is for Kids party allows these kids from local social services programs to spend a couple hours enjoying pizza and ice cream, games and a visit from Santa.

Each child leaves with a toy, and that's where we could use your help. Please make a donation of cash or a new toy and we'll make sure it ends up in the hands of a needy child. This year's party is on December 14th at The Hub, 4999 McKinley Parkway in Hamburg.

Join Jickster and The Buffalo Jills at these Tim Horton's locations

to drop off your donations!

November 30th- 2248 Niagara Road in Wheatfield

December 1st- 1610 Walden Avenue in Cheektowaga

December 2nd- 5035 Southwestern Boulevard in Hamburg

December 3rd- 5316 Transit Road in Depew

December 6th- 2413 Clinton Street in West Seneca

December 7th- 1950 Sweet Home Road in Amherst

December 8th- 6687 Tranist Road in Williamsville

December 9th- 5599 Camp Road in Hamburg

December 10th- 3275 Orchard Park Road in Orchard Park

Get all the details at http://www.97rock.com/Article.asp?id=2037401&spid=21992

Dates to circle

There's a whole lot of stuff going on the next few weeks to make it to.

First up is something that's going on right now...DJ Jickster is in the middle of his Rock Out Hunger campaign and has been living in a truck in the parking lot of Quaker Steak and Lube on Transit since Wednesday accepting food and money donations for the Food Bank of Western NY and he won't be doing it on his own as he's been getting visits by other local celebrities, Jim Kelly, and members of the Buffalo Jills. See the info at http://www.97rock.com/Article.asp?id=2017868&spid=21992

Next up is a pair of things to do Saturday night. The Buffalo Convention Center plays host to the annual World's Largest Disco, a big benefit for Camp Good Days and Special Times. Besides the 70s dance music and appearances by celebrities from the 70s, this event also features an appearance and dance performance by members of the Buffalo Bandettes!

If you wanna dance that night but can't find tickets to the Disco (the event is sold out but there are always scalpers), you can head to Mooney's on Military Road in Kenmore to see Studio 54 band play with a special guest singer...former lead singer Ashlee A from the 2005 Buffalo Jills. Show starts at 10pm.

Next Sunday, the Bills are at home at Ralph Wilson Stadium and that means you can see the Jills in action. Before the game, meet some of the ambassadors in the Fieldhouse and at the 97Rock and Shredd and Ragan Tailgate parties. But the best time to hit up the Shredd and Ragan tailgate party in Lot C is 11:30 as besides the Jills ambassadors who will be there selling and signing calendars, many of the Jills dancers will be there following their field practice to perform for the fans.

Saturday the 4th, the only place to start off your evening will be at SoHo on Chippewa as the Jills will be holding their 4th Annual Fundraiser to help offset the costs of their next calendar shoot. The event goes from 7-9:30 and features pizza, beer, and wine-tasting for a cost of $20. Also included are plenty of raffle prizes to be won and entertainment by the Buffalo Jills. When you consider that other events this year didn't take place due to timing constraints and what not, this is your best chance to meet most of the 2010 Buffalo Jills squad outside of gamedays. There will be a few girls unable to attend however, as 8 Buffalo Jills dancers will be in Iraq lending their support to the troops and what better way to thank these girls for their dedication than by supporting the squad as a whole?

In Toronto, we saw the 2011 Buffalo Bandettes perform alongside the Jills, Jills alumni, and Fusion dancers in the biggest NFL halftime show outside of the playoffs but we've yet to see them perform as a unit. December 5th is when that wait ends as the Bandits host their annual Open Practice at HSBC Arena. The event goes from 10-2pm and besides seeing the 2011 Buffalo Bandits practice, the new Buffalo Bandettes squad will be performing and signing autographs as well.

On December 12th, obviously the Bills are hosting the Browns, but if you're looking for something for your daughters to do before the game, the Bandettes are hosting a dance clinic at HSBC Arena from 10-noon for girls ages 16 and up. Bandettes alumnus Danielle will be choreographing the routine which you'll see performed by the Bandettes at a 2011 game...cost is $20. The clinic is closed to the public and if you have any questions, email beabandette@yahoo.com

Vincenza at Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest is a big 2 1/2 week celebration in Germany that's been happening for 200 years there, since 1810. The celebration has spurred on similar celebrations all over the world where various communities hold their own Oktoberfest festivals. This year, it was time for Niagara Falls, NY to start up a small festival. Included were German foods and beer as well as various vendors, a kid's zone, and authentic German music performed by many Western NYers of German/Austrian/Swiss heritage. They also brought in the Buffalo Jills to meet and greet the patrons as well as sign autographs and pose for pictures. In this time of year, the weather has been going through a large amount of changes and unfortunately, some of the girls who had signed up for this appearance took ill, leaving 4th year ambassador Vincenza to handle things on her own, with me there watching out for her as well as helping out with photos. Anyone who has gotten to know Vincenza at all already knows what an intelligent and personable young lady she is. She mingled with patrons as well as the vendors while signing autographs and taking a few photos for fans. Check out the photos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Oktoberfest/

Coming up next, the Jills will be putting on a special performance at halftime of the Toronto game on November 7th. The Rock group Hinder is playing a 2-song set and the Jills will be performing along with the music...along with several other dancers including the Bandettes, members of the Buffalo Jills alumni, and members of the Buffalo Jills Ambassador Squad!

BVB Game pics

This year was the 2nd annual game in Buffalo for the Blondes Vs Brunettes organization, a group which pits women against one another in a powderpuff football game with the proceeds going to benefit the WNY Alzheimer's Association. Like last year, the 2nd annual game was played at Sweet Home High School in Amherst and the teams were coached by fitness trainers from Gold's Gym, the official fitness center of the Buffalo Jills.
Speaking of the Jills, they were once again involved as a pair of ambassadors and a half dozen dancers were on hand selling raffle tickets and greeting fans throughout the game. In addition, the dancers put on a small halftime performance to a medley of Bon Jovi hits, similar to their pregame performance last Sunday at the Bills Home Opener.

Danielle, Kelly, Eileen, Omarlla, Christina, Lisa, and Meghan
That was where the similarities ended. For one, the turnout was a lot larger both in the crowd and in the participants. Jills director Stephanie M didn't play this year but last year's Brunette MVP Danielle H (1998-2002) was one of 6 Jills alumni in the game this year. Also, the 12-12 tie didn't happen this year as the Brunettes took down their blond counterparts by a score of 34-18. Despite the score, the blondes seemed to have as much fun as the brunettes but are definitely looking for revenge next year!

Check out the pics at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/BVB%20Game/
And here's the Jills alumni roster with numbers (not phone numbers...sorry guys)
Brunettes
#72 Danielle H (1998-2002)
#68 Jenn C (1997-2004)
#43 Francine (2000-04)
Blondes
#43 Kimberly (1996-99)
#17 Amanda F (2001-03) and Bandettes (2006-07)
#8 Dana (2008)

Stay tuned for info on next year's game as well as other events like the kickoff party.
Coming up next for the Jills, they've got 97Rock Away game parties at the Aud the next two weeks. They'll be there to help with prizes, sign autographs, and pose for photos as well as to watch the Bills win some games. The Aud will also have drink specials, 50-cent wings, and a halftime buffet for the game as well.

Blondes Vs Brunettes Kickoff Party

Last year, a powderpuff football game was organized by an organization called Blondes Vs Brunettes. The game obviously featured blondes and brunettes facing off against each other and the purpose was more than just about having fun playing football, although plenty of that happened as well. The big goal behind the Blondes Vs Brunettes games, which happen all over the United States, is to raise money for the Alzheimer's Association and last year's events raised a total of $25,000 for the Alzheimer's Association of Western NY. The game itself was a 12-12 tie with dozens of beautiful players. Obviously we're focused on the Jills here and while several Jills were in attendance to perform and sell raffle tickets, there were a few Jills alumni suited up to play as well in Jills director Stephanie M and Jills alumnus Danielle H (1998-2002). Danielle even took the brunette MVP award for the game.
That was last year, though and bigger things are projected for this year's game, which will feature 6 Jills alumni in all. Friday night, SoHo on Chippewa hosted the Blondes Vs Brunettes kickoff party, which had a outstanding turnout to say the least. Four of the Jills alumni who will be playing in the game were in attendance with many of their teammates as well as a trio of current Jills who were on hand to help with raffles. In addition to selling raffle tickets, Lindsay, Christina, and Taryn spent time talking to and posing for pictures with fans and players. Photos from the event, with a heavy Jills focus, can be found at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/BVB%20Kickoff/
The game is being played on September 18th at Sweet Home High School with kickoff at 2pm with an after party at Shenanigans on Niagara Falls Blvd in Amherst. Get all the details and donate $10 or more for a ticket to the game at http://www.bvbbuffalo.com/index.html

Also, check back there and at http://www.fishercreativeimage.com/ for more photos from last night. Jeff and Snjezana Fisher, who spent several years as the Jills' official photographers, are the official photographers for the Buffalo chapter of Blondes Vs Brunettes and took a lot of great photos last night.

As far as those Jills alumni, here's the roster

Blondes

• Kimberly Z (1996-98/99)...not sure on her final year
• Amanda F (2001-03) and Bandettes (2006-07)
• Dana (2008)

Brunettes

• Danielle H (1998-2002)
• Jenn C (1998-2004)
• Francine (2000-04)

As far as the Jills, their next big appearance is their first home game. There are still tickets available at this writing for the 2010 Kid's Day game at Ralph Wilson Stadium Saturday at 6:30 in a preseason game that pits the Bills against former Bill Terrell Owens and Jills fan Chad Ochocinc0 (he was very complementary in his judging of Omarlla and Aimee at the 2006 NFL Cheerleader Playoffs). Show up early for Kid's Day festivities going on in front of the stadium from 3-6pm and meet several of the 2010 Buffalo Jills Ambassadors. The dancers will be pretty busy during tailgating time doing a last minute rehearsal with the Jr Jills cheerleaders who will be performing with them in pregame.

The Jills at Jr Bills Backers Day at Training Camp

When it comes to training camp, the Bills PR department has fallen behind the rest of the league where their cheerleaders are concerned the last few years. Whereas the Jills were requested at every practice in the past, they've only been at a few practices each year more recently, which deprives the fans of getting to meet the beautiful young ladies who they'll see on the sidelines of Ralph Wilson Stadium this fall. Saturday, however, was one of the days the Jills were in full force. One day for training camp, the Bills host a Jr Bills Backers day, giving the next generation of Bills fans a bit of a VIP treatment at training camp complete with special autograph sessions and appearances by the Buffalo Jills.

Jill, Sara J, Christina, Gina

On hand to greet the next generation of fans at the start of camp were Christina, Jill, Gina, and Sara J. While a lot of little boys and girls got photos and autographs from the girls, a lot more were pretty shy. 10 years from now, those shy little boys will be kicking themselves for not getting a hug from a Pro Bowl cheerleader like Christina or an outstanding gymnast like Jill.

Jaclyn, Stefanie, Jill, Danielle

The Bills cut practice short after some live hitting action to get ready for the Bills' 1st preseason game in Washington. On the field to help with the special autograph session were Jill, who took in a bit of practice with her proud father, Stefanie, Jaclyn, and Danielle. With the shortened practice, the autograph session didn't seem to last that long after Stefanie, Jaclyn, and Danielle got there, so they came up into the seating area at St John Fisher's Growney Stadium to pose for more photos and sign some more autographs.

Check out the pics of our 7 beauties at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Camp/

Amelina (2008)

My day didn't end with camp itself though. Rochester is not only the home for many of the Jills, but a number of Jills alumni as well. Running this site for many years, I've developed friendships with many of the girls I've covered and they usually extend past their careers on the sidelines. In 2008, the Buffalo Jills fans were introduced by a little dancing dynamo by the name of Amelina, the only girl that's actually been shorter on the Jills than 4th year vet Angelina. But they say big things come in small packages and Amelina's dance ability and personality are testaments to that statement. Since she departed the squad, she's become a certified personal fitness trainer and is currently working on starting up her own dance company, recruiting dancers from across Western NY to perform across the region. She'll be launching a website for the dance company soon so stay tuned for news on that.

Next up for the Jills, other than an occasional appearance at Bills camp in Pittsford the next few weeks, some will be appearing at the Napa Auto Parts Grand Opening on Southwestern Blvd in Orchard Park on Saturday. Go to http://www.wnytire.com/thenapastore.htm for details

Also, the Bills start their preseason schedule with a game in Landover, MD at FedEx Field to face off against the Washington Redskins. Their first home game isn't until August 28th but the Jills will join the Bills in Toronto for a game hosting Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts on August 19th. The Toronto Jr Jills program didn't get enough registered to run it but the Jills still have something special cooked up for the game. Think back to last year's Hall of Fame game when the Jills and Titans cheerleaders performed together.

August 20th, some of the Jills will be on hand for the Blondes Vs Brunettes Kickoff party at SoHo on Chippewa Street in Buffalo. Admission is $20 and there will be food, drinks, and raffles as well as appearances by some of the Jills and you can also meet the players for the Sept 18th game. Four of the players also happen to be Jills alumni as well. Check out the info at http://www.bvbbuffalo.com/mission.html

The Jills at the 2nd Annual BBQ and Blues Bash

Friday evening, Buffalo's Cobblestone District was the setting as the Gateway-Longview family service organization put together their 2nd Annual BBQ and Blues Bash as a fundraiser for their non-profit organization. On hand to meet, take pictures with, and sign autographs for the fans were members of the Buffalo Jills as well as 3 players from the Buffalo Bills. 2nd year veteran Ambassadors Lindsay and Alyssa joined rookies Meghan and Morgan in selling Chinese auction tickets as well, with prizes donated from the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Sabres. Learn more about Gateway-Longview at www.gateway-longview.org and see the pics at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/BBQ%20Bash/

Coming up next for the Jills, you can meet some at Buffalo's Biggest 80s Bash on Saturday, June 26 at Dunn Tire Raceway Park in Lancaster where some of the girls will not only be mingling with the crowd but performing as well. Check out all the details at http://www.80sbash.com/ 

Don't forget that the Taste of Buffalo is also a great place to meet some of the Buffalo Jills as they'll be in attendance both afternoons for the largest 2-day food festival in the USA. Check out more about the event at http://www.tasteofbuffalo.com/

The Buffalo Jills at the West Valley-Ellicottville Alumni Game

In addition to games and events, the Buffalo Jills are frequently called upon to do appearances at many other events throughout Western NY. On Saturday afternoon, the alumni of West Valley and Ellicottville Central Schools got together for a football game to raise funds for the youth football programs in both communities. To help with that effort, Lindsay and Jessica of the Buffalo Jills were on hand to sell programs and raffle tickets as well as pose for pictures and sign autographs for the fans.

Lindsay and Jessica posing with the Ellicottville Eagles Alumni Football team

See the rest of the pics at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2010/Alumni%20Football/

The Jills are available for plenty of appearances like this and more. Just go to http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1676065 for all the info. Additionally, if you want extra publicity for any event that you have the Jills at, just contact us here at the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog and after the info has been verified, we'll pass it along to the fans.

Coming up Friday, there will be some Jills on hand for the 2nd Annual BBQ and Blues Bash on Mississippi Street in Buffalo. Get all the details on the event benefiting the Gateway-Longview child and family service organization at http://www.bbqbluesbash.com/

Additionally, one of the people the girls spoke to inquired about programs for younger cheerleaders to learn from the pros. There are a few different programs the Jills are involved in in that regard. First up is the NCCC Cheerleading Camp taking place from July 11-15 with instruction from members of the Buffalo Jills on not only dance, but manners and etiquette as well. Camp fees are due by July 1. Check out the details at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1780371&spid=34534

The Junior Jills program is coming up even sooner with the uniform fitting dates of June 15 and 17. The Jills will be working with the Jr Jills on 2 weekends getting them ready to perform at the Bengals-Bills preseason game on August 28th at Ralph Wilson Stadium as part of the Kid's Day festivities. Get all the details as well as the application at http://buffalojills.net/Article.asp?id=1672629

The Jills in Jamestown for DFT Communications

Back in September, members of the Buffalo Jills joined former Bills LS Adam Lingner at a tailgate event put on by DFT Communications in Dunkirk, NY with proceeds going to charity. This weekend, Adam and the Jills went a little further south, to DFT's new location in Jamestown, NY where fans met and posed for photos with Keisha, Amanda, Murissa, and Alyssa as well as Adam Lingner and even rolled dice for a chance at a brand new Subaru Impreza.

Check out the pics at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/DFT%20Tailgate/

Next up, make sure to tune into tonight's Pro Bowl to see Jills Pro Bowler Christina in action. It airs at 7:20 ET on ESPN.

Also, while the Bills won't be in the Super Bowl themselves, you can still watch the big game in the company of some of the Jills as some of them will be appearing at the Firehall Cool Bar/Hot Grill in Oakville, Ontario from 4-6pm next Sunday.

A pair of appearances and some more coming up

Even with the football season over for the Bills, the Buffalo Jills are staying plenty busy with appearances all the way up til just before tryouts. On Saturday, the Jills had a pair of appearances in Williamsville, NY that we have some photos from. 

First up was an appearance at the Eastern Hills Mall as a part of the Here's To Your Health Expo. The Expo is an annual event and 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 from 10-4. A pair of our favorite beauties was there for each 2-hour shift starting with 2nd year vet Jackie and rookie Alyssa giving way to 3rd year vets Amanda 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. Also, after finishing her shift at the Health Expo, Alyssa put in a couple of hours here as well. 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. As seen here, Angelina and Murissa did just that, taking a moment to check it out for themselves, just so they could tell store patrons how luxurious it really was.

When 2pm arrived, it was sadly, the end of Murissa and Angelina's shift but on hand taking over was rookie ambassador Courteney, who just happens to be the Buffalo Pro Cheer Blog's very next Jill of The Week. With Alyssa, Nicole, and Courteney, we had the 3 rookie ambassadors who the Blog missed out on meeting at the Bills Season Ticket Holder Draft Day Party but all have become huge fans of the Blog since then, with Alyssa's family checking us out on a daily basis watching out for any mention of the pretty Alyssa. I think with her involved in 2 appearances on this day, they'll enjoy this write-up and likely enjoyed Nicole's Jill of The Week appearance last week almost as much considering how close the 2 are. We're sure Courteney and her husband are going to enjoy her Jill of The Week feature as well...she even asked to make sure I had plenty to write about her and rest assured, it'll be a full write-up.

After spending some time at Stereo Advantage 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 to educate people about breast cancer. Check out all the photos at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/012310/

There are plenty more appearances coming up soon and the 1st one is one you can check out from the comfort of your own home. Back in November, ABC's Extreme Makeover Homes Edition, with the aid of the City of Good Neighbors, put up a home for the Powell Family on the West Side. However, the people of Buffalo impressed the show's producers with their devotion to helping so much that they did more than just the home. They also made the entire neighborhood look better with various projects and the results will be seen tonight at 8pm ET on ABC. Throughout the entire process, members of the Buffalo Jills were on hand to lend their support for the project and players from the Buffalo Bills pitched in as well. Also, if you're in the Buffalo area, WKBW Channel 7 will be airing a special on the project starting at 7pm until the show airs at 8 so make sure to tune in or set your DVRs from 7-10 pm ET to ABC to see the whole event.

The next appearance, unfortunately, isn't the result of a feel-good story. Merge restaurant, which offers a large variety of menu choices to vegetarians, was the scene a little over a week ago for workplace violence that ended in tragedy. When the bullets from a dishwasher stopped flying, the restaurant's general manager, Rick Costner, was shot and his son Ricky Jr, a chef at the restaurant, lay mortally wounded. To help the Costner family in the wake of this tragedy, a fundraiser is being held at the Towne Ballroom on Main Street in Buffalo (same location as the 1st rd of Jills cuts last year) on Monday, January 25, at 6pm. The event will feature a silent auction, dart gift board, free food, great music, and a cash bar as well as appearances by several members of the Buffalo Jills.

There are a few more appearances coming up soon as well, starting with an appearance at the Tim Hortons at 3515 Seneca St. in West Seneca, NY celebrating the 25th anniversary of the restaurant chain founded by the former NHL star who spent his last 2 seasons as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

Also, as many may recall, DFT Communications held a tailgate party outside of their Dunkirk location back in September a couple of days before the Bills season kicked off featuring members of the Buffalo Jills in attendance. DFT recently opened a new location in Jamestown, NY and will have some of the Jills on hand there as well on Saturday, January 30 from 1-4 at their Fluvanna Avenue location. For Southern Tier Jills fans who don't get to meet the Jills in Buffalo all that much, this is a great chance to meet 4 of the squad's beautiful ladies.

Also, don't forget to tune into the Pro Bowl next Sunday on ESPN. That will be the finish of a week for Jills Pro Bowler Christina as she'll be spending this next week in the Miami area getting ready for the game as well as participating in various events including a Battle of The Beauties Event on Friday, January 29th, at the Ocean Manor Resort Hotel in Fort Lauderdale from 2-6pm ET. Make sure to give Christina all your support if you're in the area. Details can be found at http://www.battleofthebeauties.net/

BVB Game pics

The Blondes Vs Brunettes Game is held in various cities across the nation, with its roots in Washington DC. The purpose of the event is a fundraiser for the Alzheimer Association and features a powderpuff flag football game between 2 sets of women. In Buffalo, the 1st annual game was held at Amherst's Sweet Home High School on Saturday afternoon and featured more intensity than local fans have seen on the pro level in a few weeks. Both squads, coached by fitness trainers at Gold's Gym, played hard from start to finish in a game that ended on a 12-12 tie.
The Buffalo Jills themselves were a big part of this event as well with 4 blondes, Christina, Jackie, Jennifer, and Lynn cheering on their team and Katie, Lisa, Murissa, and Gabrielle cheering on the brunettes. The Jills cheered on the sidelines as well as spent some time signing autographs, posing for pictures, and selling raffle tickets. Of course with 8 talented and beautiful dancers, they weren't going to get away without performing as well and they put on a halftime performance for the few hundred fans in attendance.
There was another way the Jills contributed as well, though. Jills director Stephanie M played at OL in the 1st half, drawing complaints from the blondes for her aggressive blocking style. Her blocking served the brunettes well as she delivered a key block on a reverse play for a touchdown by former Buffalo Jill Danielle H (1998-2002). The 2nd half saw Steph at WR playing decoy and drawing tight coverage from opposing defenders allowing her teammates to get open. In the end, the 12-12 tie showed how tightly contested this game was. A game that was supposed to be a flag football game featured a few tackles here and there as the intensity level rose as the game went on. Danielle won the Brunettes' MVP award as she made another big play on a reverse late in the game in addition to her TD run.
Afterwards, both teams retired to Average Joe's Sports Bar for a victory party to collect awards, eat, drink, and even got shots bought for them by the game's referees. Maybe NFL referees would get thought of better if they did that for the league's players...just a thought.
We also had 1 more Jills sighting as former Jill Francine P (2000-02) made an appearance for the game and victory party as well, still looking like she could grab a set of pom-poms and fit right in on the sidelines alongside the 2009-10 Buffalo Jills.
Check out the pics at http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/BVB%20Game/ and check out a few media reports from the event at http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/local/Blondes_play_brunettes_at_powder_puff_20091017
& http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=71129&catid=37

The Jills are going to be plenty busy today with 3 big appearances for the Bills game.
Meet a few of the Jills at the Aud Sports Bar and Grill in Depew for the Edge Away Game Party with wing and drink specials, halftime buffet, and James giving away prizes during commercial breaks and halftime. http://www.wedg.com/Article.asp?id=872591
If you'd like a different atmosphere, check out Sole Restaurant where they feature the Jills behind the bar. Watch the game while getting a drink from one of Buffalo's most beautiful women? Sounds like a winning combination! http://buffalojills.net/appearances/details.php?recordID=50
If you'd like to help out a worthy cause while watching the game, the Suneel's Light Foundation is holding a Tailgate For A Cure at Samuel's Grande Manor in Clarence in an event raising funds to fight Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy. With live music, a buffet, cash bar, Chinese auction, and an appearance by some of the Buffalo Jills as well with the game playing on the big screens. http://www.suneelslight.org/html/tailgate2009.html

Stanz Benefit at Shawbucks

Frequently, the Jills are asked to appear at various charitable events in which they greet the attendees, sell raffle tickets, and sign autographs. Today in Jamestown, NY was one of those such events. Shawbucks bar was the scene where a benefit is being held today for Staff Sgt John J Stanz of the US Marine Corps. Last month, the young man was critically injured by an improvised explosive device while serving in Afghanistan and is currently surviving in a coma in the Naval Hospital in Bethesda, MD. A number of live bands are performing throughout the course of the day at the event with a $10 cover charge that goes to the family and the recovery of the injured Marine. His parents, owners of their own business, are at his bedside currently to be there for when he awakes by the medically induced coma. On hand for this event were not only 3 current Jills, but 3 more Jills alumni lending their support. Joining the pretty full barload of patrons were Murissa, Kaitlin, and Ruby (who helped organize the whole event) and former Jills twins Jill R and Joy (2007) and Dominica (2005). http://s15.photobucket.com/albums/a375/buffalojills2005/2009/Stanz%20Benefit/

If you're in the Jamestown area, the event is still going on until 10 but if not, there are still plenty of fundraisers planned that you can find out about by going to http://www.rdido.com/Home/Events_and_Fund_Raisers.html and read more about Staff Sgt Stanz at http://www.truehero.us/

The Jills are still keeping very busy with the Bills opening up the season on the road with a pep rally at Fountain Plaza Monday at noon and an appearance in Fort Erie for MNF. Also, don't forget about the Edge Away Game parties being held this season at the Aud Sports Bar in Depew. I can tell you from first hand experience that last year's Away game parties are worth attending and the new location this year should only improve the experience.

The Jills next return to the field at Ralph Wilson Stadium one week from today as the Bills host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their first ever regular season appearance at Ralph Wilson Stadium. The only time that the Buccaneers have played in Western NY prior to this was a preseason matchup in 1977! Besides seeing the dancers onfield just prior to and during the game, you can meet the Jills Ambassador Squad in the Fieldhouse and at the 97Rock and 103.3 The Edge Tailgate parties prior to the game where you can pick up your Buffalo Jills Swimsuit Calendars if you haven't already. And if you have, you can still get it signed by Buffalo's Beauties.