Bright Side Night is HERE - 2,100 kids going to see Pacers vs. Suns

I am more excited for tonight’s Phoenix Suns game than I have been for a long, long time.

Thanks to YOU, our wonderful readers and diehard Suns fans, Bright Side of the Sun is sending 2,100 kids and chaperones to their first Suns game. We have focused our efforts on organizations that help kids who are struggling with one thing or another, or just need something great in their lives to give them a lifelong memory.

Two years ago, we sent 800 kids to a Suns-Nuggets game. Last year, it was 1,200 kids going to a Suns-Pelicans game.

This year: more than two thousand kids will be filling up the seats tonight to see the Suns take on the surging Indiana Pacers.

And it’s all thanks to YOU guys and gals.

You donated.

You drummed up donations from your friends and family too.

Thank you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Three years ago, I wanted to find a way to use our little blog community to give back to the larger Phoenix area. And who better than the next generation of Suns fans? I’ve got three kids of my own who I’ve been lucky enough to take to Suns games every once in a while for much of their lives. They don't watch the Suns every day like I do, but they love the NBA game experience. Every game is a warm memory for them. Most of their friends have never been to a game, so it’s a great story to tell.

Now we can share that experience with thousands of other kids in the Phoenix community!

It wasn’t about getting the Suns to give away tickets (though they did donate 145 tickets because so many organizations came through with kids to bring!).

This was about you and me giving back some of our hard earned money to the blog, to the kids, to the community.

2,100 kids.

Wow.

I mean, WOW.

The kids get early access to the court to watch the players shoot around, and then get post-game access to the Suns practice court.

Some of the bigger, local donators get an exclusive pre-game Q and A with Suns Vice President James Jones in a rare interview less than a year since his 7th straight NBA Finals alongside LeBron James.

Give yourself and the other donators a pat on the back right now. Leave a warm, fuzzy comment. Let’s celebrate this incredible achievement.

We are giving out about 100 of these T-shirts to the kids tonight - the Gorilla and crew are supposed to be doing that with a T-shirt toss either before or during the game.

If you want one, let me know. I can get them made by one of our shirt-making partners for special order.