Inspired by Honorable Americans to Donate to Team USA (BotN)

In the last three days I've been involved through the power of the internet in a phenomenon that swept across the US courtesy of friends, and strangers proudly cheering on a team of 30 Americans as they took the field of battle in Poland. This was a sporting event. I am not a fan of organized sports, at least not where the athletes are paid millions of dollars to ride the bench all season long even if they get hurt. This sport is different. This sport is played by common men who work real jobs, who face serious injury to play their game, they do it for the honor and the pride. Not for the glory of being received with open arms on television in front of a nation of adoring fans. They do it for the HONOR of representing their country in a Battle of Nations.

In October 2011 - a mere 6 and a half months ago members of the now Team USA for Battle of Nations started considering making the journey to the nation of Poland for this year's (2012) Battle of Nations, a live steel medieval combat event. In November the decision was confirmed the US would field its first ever team to BotN. And they did in less than 6 full months they equipped 30 men with full plate steel armor, padding, and travel expenses to make the trip to Poland.

There they faced teams from Russia, Ukraine, Poland and other countries each with a longer history in doing this sort of thing than did the men of Team USA. Russia has 500 people yearly want to join the ranks, only 50 make the team. The US had 50 show interest, 30 showed up and had the finances, training and equipment to make the trip. The average age of the US team this year was 37 years of age. The youngest US team member at 29 is older than even the most senior member of most of the other teams I mentioned above. And yet the US did better than anyone could have expected their first year out. Did they win? Not in terms most come to expect. But they didn't lose either. These men rallied together a part of the country that often stands divided over political issues and differences of opinion on a range of topics. These true knights showed the world who was watching and especially those on the other teams in attendance what true honor and real chivalry is all about.

There are so many videos already up on youtube from this event, photos will be posted, fundraisers are being thought up, new groups are being formed as I type this - here in the US to field an even bigger, better, more well equipped team next year, and the 2012 Battle of the Nations isn't even over yet. There's still more fighting taking place tomorrow. The facebook group for the USA team for Battle of Nations grew from under 400 members to 1400 members in a matter of 3 days. People woke up early to watch the live FREE televised feed from Poland, they watched on their cell phones and wifi at work and school, they shared their love of this sport and these men with their friends and coworkers and no one complained instead more people heard what was going on and that there's a team of Americans showing pride in their country despite all the fighting back home. There were chants from the crowd during matches of USA! USA! USA! and the majority of the crowd aren't Americans but local people who should be shouting for the Polish or Ukrainian teams, they too were inspired by our team of heroes.

I hesitate to call any athlete a hero simply because of the number of those who play pro sports who end up being exactly the opposite of what you would call a hero. But these men, these knights, who have fought with pride, honor to represent their country, and respect for their fellow fighters from other countries, these men who represent the best of what makes Americans proud include team captain Andres Sinou an active duty US Marine, others include an Olympic athlete, and a football player and all the other men of the team who lead ordinary lives like you and me, except they chose to be remarkable and to forever leave a lasting impression on those who were witness to the first ever US team to fight in Battle of the Nations. To those of us who will never pick up sword and shield, never don real steel armor and fight another for one reason or another, they gave us a reason to cheer, a reason to be proud of being American.

I couldn't tell you what the news was the last three days. I didn't care. I had something else to watch, something else to be concerned with, something else to be proud of. I feel so inspired by these 30 men whom I've never met (That I know of) that I hereby pledge $2.00 from the sale of EVERY patriotic item I sell in any venue online, at SCA events, at the farmer's market etc, will be donated directly to the coffers of Team USA for Battle of Nations 2013. I can't help train, I can't travel to wherever the event will happen next year, but I can do this. I know its not much but I will do what I can. $2 per item (more if I know I can spare it) will go to help get more people involved and to help the American team improve and be ready for 2013 when the event rolls around.

Will you help me? I will be creating a facebook photo album of all items I can do that will be available for purchase as ready to ship items or as custom orders, which are patriotic in nature - of which a portion will be donated to help team USA continue to inspire people worldwide through 2013. Stay tuned.

You can find me here:
FrawgzDezignz on Facebook
FrawgzDezignz etsy shop
FrawgzDezignz Luulla Shop
other shops to come - blog will be updated when I have confirmed URLs for those shop addresses.

This is my pledge, Carrie Foster, creative genius behind FrawgzDezignz.

PS - Thank you to Team USA for all you've done to inspire so many, words do not accurately describe how you have made so many of us feel.

3 comments:

thesparks101 said...

testing testing 1 2 3

Ceirwyn Sinclair Heartsong said...

How come I don't know about these things! I would love to watch and be a part of it! Argh. Next Year!

Shasta said...

The link to comment is hidden behind the brownish color, if that makes sense.

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