Help GR's own KIDS FOOD BASKET raise $50K to feed children through Pepsi Refresh Project

Friends and fans,
The Kids' Food Basket is a local organization that provides sack suppers to kids across Grand Rapids every day. Currently, KFB is competing for votes with great organizations from across the country for $50,000. Please vote DAILY for all of October! Spread the word to friends and family by forwarding this message on. To give perspective, $50,000 will supply three months of fresh fruits and vegetables to our kids! For more info, go to http://www.kidsfoodbasket.org/.

VOTE NOW and DAILY....three ways!

1) Text 101423 to 73774

2)Visit here.

3) Become a fan of the Pepsi Refresh Project Facebook Page

We need you to vote EVERYDAY! Email christine@kidsfoodbasket.org to sign up for daily reminders! If you sign up for the daily reminder and vote all 30 days, we'd like to say thank you with a Kids' Food Basket hoodie and some Pepsi products.

Kids' Food Basket attacks childhood hunger by providing 2,600 nutritious, fresh sack suppers to kids every day. Sack suppers fill a gap schools and parents often can't afford, in a way that's accessible to kids. They are distributed in classrooms to kids who receive breakfast and lunch through Federal programs. All of the school we serve have 80% or more of the student population receiving free or reduced lunches. (We are not federally funded; our revenue comes exclusively from community members, foundations, businesses, and corporations like Pepsi.) Without our meals, kids would only eat half of the 2,000 calories needed to grow.

A sack supper includes a serving each of fresh fruit and fresh vegetable, a sandwich, 100% fruit juice box and healthy snacks. Some of the vegetables our kids like include carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers. Fruits our kids eat might include bananas, apples, berries, or pears.

To make this vital need a refreshing reality for hungry kids in West Michigan, we need your vote. You can vote via text message by sending 101423 to 73774 AND online at refresheverything.com AND on Facebook through the Pepsi Refresh Application...One vote per method, per day

Thanks for your support, West Michigan!
>

Concourse Expansion Week 7

This week's pictures show the progress being made mostly on the outside of the arena. Still, there are a couple of pictures of the inside that also show just how close the project is to being completed. Check out how much of the cube-like structure has been completed!

Cirque du Soleil - Dralion is coming to Van Andel Arena!

Dralion is the fusion of ancient Chinese Circus tradition and the avant-garde approach of Cirque du Soleil. The show's name is drawn from its two main symbols: the dragon, representing the East, and the lion, representing the West. Dralion derives much of its inspiration from Eastern philosophy with its perpetual quest for harmony between humankind and nature. Suspended in time between the past and the future, Dralion is a celebration of life and the four elements that maintain the natural order: air, water, fire and earth. Innovation soars to new heights as it defies the laws of nature. Dralion is a dynamic performance that transcends the boundaries of the imagination and leads us into a dreamscape with a new and sparkling perspective.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, October 12, 2010 @ 10 AM.

Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena® and DeVos Place® box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, including, D & W stores and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone: 1.800.745.3000 or on line @ www.ticketmaster.com

Lady Gaga Expands N. American Tour, Coming To Van Andel Arena!

The much raved about, Lady Gaga, brings her Monster Ball Tour to the Van Andel Arena!

Lady Gaga is touring in support of The Fame Monster, which was released on November 18th, 2009, by Streamline/Konlive/Interscope. The album is the follow-up to 2008’s Grammy Award-winning album The Fame, which spawned the No. 1 singles “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” Combined, The Fame and The Fame Monster have sold 13.5 million albums worldwide, while Lady Gaga’s current singles, “Just Dance,” “Poker Face,” “Lovegame,” “Paparazzi,” “Bad Romance” and “Telephone” have combined sales over 50 million worldwide. At this year’s BRIT awards, she took home awards for International Album (The Fame), International Female Solo Act and International Breakthrough Act. At the 2010 MTV VMA’s Lady Gaga took home a record 8 wins including ‘Video of the Year’.

Her music videos have received a combined total of over 1 billion views online – the first artist to reach this number. Lady Gaga has made another video milestone with “Bad Romance” becoming the most viewed video of all-time on YouTube.com.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, October 2 @ 10 AM and can be purchased at the Van Ande Arena® and DeVos Place® box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, including, D & W stores and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone: 1.800.745.3000 or on line @ www.ticketmaster.com

Griffins Opening Night-Discounted Ticket Exclusive!

SAVE ON OPENING NIGHT TICKETS!
Use the promo code GRIFF at griffinshockey.com/promocode


GRIFFINS OPENING NIGHT – DISCOUNTED TICKET EXCLUSIVE
Friday, October 8 - Van Andel Arena - 7 pm

A sold-out event for fourteen straight seasons, Griffins Opening Night is one of THE most popular events in West Michigan! Celebrate the fifteenth season of Griffins hockey with special entertainment, a pre-game laser light show and much more, including:

· $1 beer & $1 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m. (while supplies last)

· FREE Griffins GLOW BAMS (first 7,500 fans)

· The 2010-11 Griffins Cling Schedule giveaway (2,500 fans)

Through this special online offer you can enjoy lower level center ice seats for only $17 (reg. $20), lower level faceoff seats for only $14 per ticket (reg. $17) or upper level seats for just $11 per ticket (reg. $13).



Purchasing your Opening Night tickets online is simple and easy!

1. Log on to www.griffinshockey.com/promocode

2. Enter promo code: GRIFF

3. Select your seats and make your purchase

Concourse Expansion Week 6

This week's pictures feature the reenforced frame of the concourse expansion. The platform of the cube like addition is coming together! You can also see for the first time progress of our new snow-melt installation outside of the front entrance! It's very exciting! Take a look:

CLASS IS IN SESSION: “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” to host special Harlem Globetrotters week

Before embarking on their 85th consecutive season in late December, the iconic Harlem Globetrotters will go back to the classroom, as players compete for charity during a special celebrity week of “Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?” the Emmy-nominated syndicated television game show hosted by renowned comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

Globetrotter stars Special K Daley, Big Easy Lofton, Flight Time Lang, Ant Atkinson and Dizzy Grant will have fun with the kids and put their brain power to the test, with all of their winnings being donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation® of America, the nation’s largest wish-granting organization. The Globetrotters have worked with Make-A-Wish for years to make dreams come true for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

Catch the premiere episodes of Globetrotters Week on Monday, Sept. 27, through Friday, Oct. 1:

Sept. 27 Big Easy Lofton
Sept. 28 Ant Atkinson
Sept. 29 Special K Daley
Sept. 30 Dizzy Grant
Oct. 1 Flight Time Lang

Check your local listings for show times, and to find the broadcast channel in your area, visit www.5thgradertvshow.com/class-schedule.

The Globetrotters will tip-off the North American leg of their 2011 world tour on Dec. 26, 2010, and the tour schedule will be released in October. Visit http://www.harlemglobetrotters.com/ to see when the team will be performing in a city near you.

TNA Wrestling LIVE in Grand Rapids!

The superstars of Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling’s “TNA IMPACT” are invading Grand Rapids! TNA Live! will hit the Van Andel Arena Thursday, October 21 starting at 7:30 p.m. for an unforgettable night of action.



TNA Live! is an interactive entertainment experience that sends its craziest fans BACKSTAGE to meet TNA Superstars! Appearing live in person at the Van Andel Arena will be “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Motor City Machine Guns, Mr. Anderson, and TNA Founder, Jeff Jarrett.


Ring announcer Jeremy Borash will hide a backstage pass at the Van Andel Arena and announce its location on Twitter before the show! At TNA Live! in Grand Rapids fans can GET CLOSER to these Superstars and the LOUDEST FANS will be invited backstage for a special TNA experience! Fans that purchase a ticket in the first three rows will receive a special meet and greet with TNA Superstars one hour before doors open! (Redeemable with ticket the night of the show; offer only applies to $52.50 tickets.)


Tickets are on sale for $22.50, 37.50 and $52.50 at http://www.ticketmaster.com/ or charge by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Van Andel Arena box office, DeVos Place, West Michigan D&W Stores and select Family Fares. For more information: http://www.tnawrestling.com/. Groups of 10 or more save on select seating locations.

Detroit Pistons Preseason Action In Grand Rapids ON SALE NOW!

The Detroit Pistons announced today that individual tickets for their preseason game at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, The Meijer Basketball Classic, are officially on sale!

Tickets, priced as low as $15, are available by visiting the box office at Van Andel Arena, any Ticketmaster outlet, ticketmaster.com or by calling (800) 745-3000. For groups of 10 or more, call (616) 742-6185, e-mail groupsales@smggr.com or order online at vanandelarena.com/groupsales.

The Meijer Basketball Classic, featuring the Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks will be played on Wednesday, October 13 at 7:00 p.m. Newcomers Greg Monroe and Tracy McGrady join Ben Gordon, Tayshaun Prince, Ben Wallace and the rest of the core veterans to battle Mavericks stars Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd.

The preseason game marks the eighth consecutive time the Pistons have played in Grand Rapids since the 2001 preseason when the club hosted the Washington Wizards.

For more information, go to vanandelarena.com.

Sesame Street LIVE: Elmo's Healthy Heroes Coming to Van Andel Arena!

When Super Grover loses his "superness", Sesame Street needs a hero!

Never fear, Elmo and his team of Healthy Heroes are here.

Teaching lessons of healthy habits through song and dance, Elmo, Abby Cadabby and your favorite Sesame Street friends will explore exercise, nutrition, sleep/energy and hygiene - all in a quest to put the "super" back in Super Grover.

It's Healthy Heroes to the rescue!

Tickets go on sale Wednesday, September 29, 2010 at 10 AM. Tickets may be purchased at the Van Andel Arena® and De Vos Place® box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, including D & W stores and select Family Fare locations, charge by phone; 1.800.745.3000 or on line at http://www.ticketmaster.com/

VAA Concourse Expansion Shaping Up: Week 5

This week, you begin to see the full "skeleton" of the upcoming concourse! Construction is well underway and on schedule.

These pics really give you a sense of how far out the concourse will reach and thus, how much more space we'll all have—3500 sq. feet, to be exact! Take a look...

Pistons Preseason Action in Grand Rapids: Tickets On Sale Sept. 10th

Rip Hamilton. Ben Gordon. Charlie Villanueva. Rodney Stuckey.

Who's your favorite Piston?

Well, catch your favorite player and the rest of the Detroit Pistons, including newly-signed Tracy McGrady, right here in Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena. The Pistons bring NBA preseason action against Dirk Nowitzki and the Western Conference powerhouse, Dallas Mavericks, on Wednesday, October 13 at 7PM.

Tickets start as low as $15! Tickets go on sale Friday, September 10th at 10AM and will be available at the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place box offices, Ticketmaster ticket centers, charge by phone at 1.800.745.3000 and Ticketmaster.com. For group tickets, call 616.742.6185, email groupsales@smggr.com or online at vanandelarena.com/groupsales.