Let's WATCH SOME HOCKEY at Ohio State on December 15!

We are all missing the NHL this season, so how about getting together with other Jacket Backers and hockey fans!!! The Jacket Backers are planning a group outing to watch the Ohio State University Buckeyes vs. Miami University Redhawks.

We are looking to get a group of Jacket Backers, friends, family and fans together Saturday, December 15, 2012 to take in some hockey!!!  Game is at the Schottenstein Center (555 Borror Drive, Columbus 43210) and puck drops at 8:05 pm.

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Jessica Jones at activities@jacketbackers.org by Monday, November 26, 2012.

Please advise on the number of tickets you are interested in purchasing.

Please Note: The price of tickets will depend on the number RSVPs we receive. We anticipate the price being no more than around $12.00 for a single ticket, but hope to get it lower with many of our members attending!!!

4th Annual Ryan Salmons Blood Drive - December 1, 2012

Join us at Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday, December 1, 2012 for the 4th Annual #3 Ryan Salmons "Refuse to Lose" Blood Drive, from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm.

Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today - bring along your friends and family who are willing to donate as well.

Click here to make your appointment in honor of Ryan Salmons.  If you have any questions on the drive, please contact Kelly Patterson at community_service@jacketbackers.org.

Memorial Baptist Church is located at 2435 Eakin Rd., Columbus, OH 43204.

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community.  Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

Thank you for supporting the American Red Cross blood program in memory of Ryan!

Hockey Beats Down Cancer! Family Fun Day (with beer!)

Join us and other hockey fans for Hockey Beats Down Cancer! Family Fun Day at the OhioHealth Chiller Easton, 3600 Chiller Lane near Easton Town Center, Sat, Aug 25 from 11 am - 9 pm.

Admission is FREE! Activities & games are FREE, donations accepted. Food and beverages are sold onsite. All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Enjoy all-day DJ & music, live bands, games, bounce house, game truck, silent auction, food, beer garden & more!

                                          Schedule of events:

11 am - Kids Learn-to-Play Clinic

11:15-1:15 - Open Skate & OSU Autographs

12 noon - Kids Skills Competition

12:30-1:30 pm - CBJ Ryan Johansen Autographs

Live Music:

2-3 pm - Hobgoblins

7-9 pm - Columbus Horns

HBCD tournament & fundraiser is Aug 23-26, Family Fun Day is Aug 25. Event is presented by the OhioHealth Chiller & benefits the American Cancer Society. Details & Registration: hockeybeatsdown.org  or facebook.com/hockeybeatsdown

CBJ Open House - Thursday, August 9th! (6:00pm - 9:00pm)

Join the Jacket Backers at the CBJ Open House on the floor of Nationwide Arena! - The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free CBJ Hat!

The FREE festivities will be headlined by the appearances of Brandon Dubinsky, Derek Dorsett and Jared Boll, who will be on hand to sign autographs and join kids for street hockey on the arena floor.  Fans can check out seat locations for ticket plans for next season starting at just $15 per game and talk to ticket reps.

FREE parking is available in the attached lot - you must say to the parking attendant that "I'm here for the Select-A-Seat Event"!

There will also be a bounce house for the kids.  Game used equipment and merchandise will be available for sale, including 2013 NHL All-Star game merchandise!  The FS Ohio Blue Line (Team Store) will be open -- NHL All-Star Game merchandise will be on sale.

Join or Renew your Jacket Backers membership for the 12-13 Season at the Open House, look for our table!  If you can't make it, you can join/renew online!! Remember, we are still running our discounted summer prices $10.00 for a single/$20.00 for a joint membership!  All members who join/renew by Friday, October 19, 2012 will be entered to win a team signed 3rd Logo 3D Wall Art!

Summer Outing - Columbus Crew

Nothing like a little summer heat to take your mind off of hockey for awhile. Nothing like a little summer heat to make you long for the chill in the arena and the drop of the puck!

Join us as The Columbus Crew take on the New England Revolution, Saturday, August 25, 2012 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are JUST $21 EACH per person and are on a first-come, first-served basis as we've already purchased a block of 20 at this very discounted rate. Tickets are in Section 102, Rows 17-18, in the section right next the Nordecke cheering section. If we have a big turnout, we may be able to add seats.

It's also Dollar Night - Bob Evans Buck-a-Brat Night and Budweiser $1.00 Draft Night. In addition, there will also be an Autograph Alley where players (Bernardo Anor, Cole Grossman, William Hesmer, Julius James, Matt Lampson, Emilio Renteria, Olman Vargas and Josh Williams) will sign autographs for fans post-game in the Stadium Club tent on the west side of Crew Stadium, *Players subject to change at any time. To purchase your seats, contact Jessica Jones at activities@jacketbackers.org. We can talk hockey and enjoy summer dreams of playoffs success!

Click the button below to purchase your tickets today! 

Sunny 95 Neighborhood Block Parties

The Jacket Backers have been invited to join the Blue Jackets at their booth at this summer's Sunny 95 Neighborhood Block Parties. The block parties will be held on Tuesday evenings throughout the summer.  

-Tuesday, July 17th, 2012 – Westerville – Millstone Creek – Intersection of Maxtown Rd. & Olde Mill Rd.

-Tuesday, July 24^th, 2012 – Gahanna – McCorkle Park – 200 McCutcheon Rd., Gahanna, OH 43230

-Tuesday, July 31^st, 2012 – Hilliard – Hampton Oaks/Heather Ridge – Intersection of Avery Rd. & Dixon Dr.

-Tuesday, August 7^th, 2012 – Grandview – Edison Middle School – 1200 Fairview Ave., Grandview, OH 43212

-Tuesday, August 14^th, 2011 – Pickerington – Windmiller Ponds – 896 Delong St., Pickerington, OH 43147

-Tuesday, August 21^st, 2011 – Delaware – Carson Farms – Intersection of Route 36 & Carson Farms Blvd.

-Tuesday, August 28^th, 2011 – Lewis Center – Meadows at Cheshire – 5684 Cloverdale Dr., Galena, OH 43021 

CBJ Open House on Wednesday, July 18th! (6:00pm - 9:00pm)

Join the Jacket Backers at the Open House on the floor of Nationwide Arena! - The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free NHL All-Star Game puck!

The FREE festivities will be headlined by the appearances of Nick Foligno, Jack Johnson, and Adrian Aucoin, who will be on hand to sign autographs and join kids for street hockey.  Fans can check out seat locations for ticket plans for next season starting at just $15 per game and talk to ticket reps.  FREE parking is available in the attached lot - you must say to the parking attendant that "I'm here for the Select-A-Seat Event"!

There will also be a bounce house for the kids.  Game used equipment and merchandise will be available for sale, including 2013 NHL All-Star game merchandise!

Join or Renew your Jacket Backers membership for the 12-13 Season at the Open House, look for our table!  If you can't make it, you can join/renew online!! Remember, we are still running our discounted summer prices $10.00 for a single/$20.00 for a joint membership!

Summer Outing - The Ohio Machine Lacrosse Game - CANCELLED

SORRY to inform you that this event was cancelled due to lack of sufficient participation.

We'll try again next season!

******************************************************

If we get 50 to go - we have a special MLL experience planned!Ohio has a new expansion professional lacrosse team, The Ohio Machine.

In front of 6,126 fans, the Ohio Machine won its inaugural home opener over the Rochester Rattlers 16-10. The Jacket Backers have been invited to attend a home game this season on Saturday, July 14th against the Hamilton Nationals, by Jacket Backers member Matt Hastings.

The Jacket Backers are working with Matt and The Ohio Machine to put together an amazing Major League Lacrosse (MLL) experience for you.

With a minimum of 50 RSVPs, we can get a special offer, including Pre-Game Festivities, Hot Dog, Soda and a ticket to the game.

Depending on the total number of RSVPs, ticket prices for everyone in attendance (Adults, Youth & Seniors) will vary between $17.00 - $23.00.

Don’t want to make the commute from Columbus to Delaware, no worries, round trip transportation can be provided from Park Street Cantina to Shelby Stadium (Ohio Wesleyan University).

Not completely up on the rules of MLL, no worries, during the Pre-Game Festivities, we will meet with In Arena Announcer, Mike Todd, yes the same Mike Todd from the Columbus Blue Jackets, to get a Lacrosse 101. We will also have the opportunity to have a meet and great with the Machine Dance Team.

Please RSVP to Jessica Jones at activities@jacketbackers.org ASAP.

Jacket Backers Giveaways at the CBJ Draft Party

Tomorrow, Friday, June 22, 2012, the CBJ will be hosting an NHL Party at Nationwide Arena.

You will have the opportunity to meet CBJ Players: RJ Umberger, Cam Atkinson & James Wisniewski!!!

In addition to meeting players, watching the Draft selections, the CBJ will also have additional activities for all in attendance, including: Tours of Blue Jackets Locker Room; Street Hockey; Bounce House; Photo opportunities in the penalty boxes, alongside the Cannon and the Zamboni!

There will be Game used equipment and merchandise for sale, including 2013 NHL All-Star merchandise.

Also, available will be Food and Beverage Specials!!!

Not only are there many fun things planned from the Blue Jackets, the Jacket Backers will have a table located on the Main Floor.  Stop by and meet a couple of our Officers, Jason Harrison (Vice-President), Jessica Jones (Activities Committee), Michelle Harklau (Communications Chair & Social Networking Chair) and Janice Burns (Member-at-Large)!  While you are there meeting some of our officers, you can sign-up to win autographed CBJ items, including a Wall Clock, Pub Mirror, Pucks!

Tomorrow will also be our 2nd of 3 giveaways for Joining/Renewing your Jacket Backers membership for the 2012-2013 season.  Join or Renew your Jacket Backers membership for the 12-13 Season by the end of the 1st Round of the NHL Draft on Friday, June 22, 2012. You can join/renew online or at the CBJ Draft Party, look for our table!!! Remember, we are still running our discounted summer prices $10.00 for a single/$20.00 for a joint membership!

Jacket Backers Summer Blood Drive - Saturday, June 16th!

The Jacket Backers are sponsoring a Blood Drive at Memorial Baptist Church on Saturday, June 16th!

We'll again be donating in memory of Ryan Salmons.

Join us at 2435 Eakin Road, Columbus, OH 43204 from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm

To schedule, head to the website here or email Kelly Patterson at community_service@jacketbackers.org or call Chris Tucker at (937) 642-5000.

Double red donations will also be possible.  The American Red Cross and the Jacket Backers Thank You for giving the gift of life.

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community.  Nationwide, someone needs a pint of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and most of us will need blood in our lifetime.

As well, if you are planning on attending and would like to bring a snack to share at the refreshments table, you are welcome to do so.

Please contact Kelly Patterson at community_service@jacketbackers.org to volunteer at the drive and to let her know if you'll be bringing a snack.  Thank you in advance for your support!