Tag: FAMU

ARE STEPPING UP FOR THE FLORIDA CLASSIC. FROM THE BRASS TO ALL THE FANS IN THE STANDS, THIS EXCITEMENT RUNS WELL BEYOND THE FIELD AT CAMPING WORLD STADIUM. THIS YEAR MARKS THE 80TH MEETING BETWEEN THE FLORIDA A&M RATTLERS AND THE BETHUNE-COOKMAN WILDCATS. THE FLORIDA CLASSIC IS GOING TO BE A GOOD TIME. AND JOINING ME THIS MORNING TO TALK ABOUT THE RICH HISTORY OF THIS AND WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THIS MILESTONE YEAR. WE HAVE TONY JENKINS FROM FLORIDA BLUE AND JUSTIN KINSEY, BOARD MEMBER FOR FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS. GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU BOTH SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE THIS MORNING. THANK YOU. SUCH AN EXCITING TIME, TONY. LET’S TALK ABOUT, FOR THOSE WHO AREN’T FAMILIAR, WHAT IS THE FLORIDA CLASSIC? IT’S AN INSTITUTION NUMBER ONE. IT’S THE NUMBER ONE FUNDRAISER FOR BOTH OF THESE SCHOOLS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR. MOST BOWL GAMES YOU HAVE MIDDLE INDIVIDUALS, PRODUCERS THAT ARE INVOLVED IN RECEIVING THE FUNDS. ALL OF THESE FUNDS GO BACK TO THE SCHOOLS. SO THAT’S ONE REASON WHY PEOPLE SHOULD ATTEND THIS. BECAUSE YOUR MONEY IS GOING BACK FOR SCHOLARSHIPS. SECONDLY, THIS IS THE BEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR. YEAH, ALL THE ACTIVITIES SURROUNDING THE FOOTBALL GAME. THERE’S A BATTLE OF THE BANDS. THERE’S A BIG LUNCHEON. SO IT’S JUST A FESTIVE WEEKEND. SOME PEOPLE CALL IT A BIG FAMILY REUNION. IT ACTUALLY IS THE FOOD THAT’S OUT THERE. IT SMELLS GOOD. IT TASTES EVEN BETTER. THE ATMOSPHERE IS SO ELECTRIC. ABSOLUTELY. ALWAYS A GOOD TIME. WHAT MAKES CLASSIC WEEKEND SO SPECIAL? JUSTIN, ALL THESE YEARS LATER, I THINK IT’S JUST WHAT TONY SAID. IT BEING A FAMILY REUNION. SO BEING IN THE CENTER OF THE STATE, YOU HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE STATE OF FLORIDA THAT HAVE ATTENDED BOTH FAMU OR BETHUNE-COOKMAN. YOU HAVE FAMILY MEMBERS THAT HAVE ATTENDED AND EVERYONE MEETS RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE, AND THEY JUST GO ALL AROUND THE STADIUM. YOU HAVE A WILD ELECTRIC ATMOSPHERE, AND THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL. JUST THE PEOPLE COMING BACK TO BE WITH EACH OTHER, THE COMMUNE, EVERY YEAR. IT SURE DOES. I REMEMBER BEING A LITTLE GIRL WATCHING MY COUSINS COME DOWN FROM TALLAHASSEE FOR THE CLASSIC STAYING WITH US, AND I WOULD JUST WATCH THEM IN AWE, GET READY FOR ALL THE EVENTS AND ALL THE FUN THINGS THAT COME ALONG WITH CLASSIC WEEKEND. SPEAKING OF THE EVENTS, TONY, THERE’S SOMETHING NEW THIS YEAR. THERE’S A GOLF TOURNAMENT WHICH IS TEEING OFF RIGHT NOW. YES. WHAT CAN PEOPLE EXPECT WITH THIS NEW ADDITION AND THE REST OF THE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND? I’M EXCITED THAT THE ORGANIZERS FLORIDA, CITRA SPORTS, THE TWO SCHOOLS. WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO ADD NEW INGREDIENTS AND NEW PROJECTS WITH THE GAME. THIS GOLF TOURNAMENT IS BRAND NEW. IT’S OUR INAUGURAL GOLF TOURNAMENT AT EAGLE CREEK, AND WE’VE GOT OVER 20 TEAMS THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF IT THIS YEAR, SO I’M EXCITED THAT WE’RE ADDING THIS NEW COMPONENT TO THE FLORIDA CLASSIC. YEAH, IT’S GOING TO BE A LOT OF FUN. AND JUSTIN JUST PUT INTO PERSPECTIVE. WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE IMPACT, BUT THIS REALLY AFFECTS NOT JUST THE SCHOOLS BUT CENTRAL FLORIDA AND BEYOND. BEYOND ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITIES OF WEST LAKES, LAKE LORNA DOONE, THE ROCK ROCK LAKE COMMUNITIES, LAKE SUNSET. WE HAVE OVER 70 TO 80 VENDORS THAT ARE LOADING IN RIGHT NOW. AND THE FISCAL IMPACT FOR THE SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS ARE ABOUT 500 TO $750,000 PER YEAR. SO THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM IT. OBVIOUSLY, THE THE HOTELS, THE AIRPORT TRAVEL, ALL OF THE EVENTS HAPPENING AROUND HERE. THERE ARE A LOT OF FREE EVENTS HAPPENING THAT MAKE THAT ATMOSPHERE ELECTRIC, LIKE IN LORNA DOONE PARK. WE HAVE THE YARD WHERE WE SEEK TO CREATE THE HBCU CAMPUS ATMOSPHERE. YOU HAVE THE DIVINE NINE OUT THERE. YOU HAVE THE VENDORS, YOU HAVE THE FAN FEST GOING ON THE FLORIDA BLUE FLORIDA CLASSIC FAN FEST, AND IT’S JUST AN AMAZING TIME. ALWAYS, ALWAYS STOP BY THE RV LOT IF YOU GET A CHANCE. OH, CERTAINLY. SO. AND I’LL BE OUT THERE WITH MY SOURCE FOR DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY INCORPORATED REALLY QUICKLY. BEFORE WE GO, WHERE CAN PEOPLE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE FLORIDA CLASSIC? GO TO OUR WEBSITE, FLORIDA CLASSIC DOT. THERE’S NEWS OUT THERE. PEOPLE CAN FIND OUT ABOUT THE GAME, ABOUT THE EVENTS, SIGNING UP FOR THE GAME. SO THAT’S INCREDIBLE. AND OF COURSE WE’LL POST ALL OF THIS ON OUR WEBSITE WESH.COM. AND EVEN THOUGH IT IS A FRIENDLY RIVALRY, I’M WEARING ORANGE FOR A REASON.