Jackson In Action Baby Shower

I had the pleasure of meeting Vincent Jackson and his wife Lindsey back at the Pro Bowl in 2012.  We followed him on his tour of Pearl Harbor, where he also got to meet and talk with a veteran of that terrible day in 1941.  Vincent grew up as a “military brat”, so this is something that is very important to him.  I came away extremely impressed with the character of the Jackson family.  It wasn’t an act, they are 100% genuine.

Fast forward a couple years later, and I’ve still kept in contact with Vincent.  I’d read about his Jackson in Action 83 foundation, which does numerous events for the military and their families. One of the big events they do is hosting a baby shower for military moms-to-be.  They give gifts, have prizes, and bring in guest speakers to help these families.  Being fairly new to the Tampa community, we really wanted to be involved and do something for a worthy charity, and this seemed like the perfect fit.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in was how involved Vincent and Lindsey were. They didn’t just show up 10 minutes before the event and leave right after it was done, which is something I’ve seen in the past.  They were getting their hands dirty preparing for the party, as well as packing everything up when it was over.  That was very impressive, and really shows how genuine they really are.

Without a doubt the highlight of the event was at the very end. The emcee thanked everyone for coming, and told everyone to drive home safely. As everyone was getting up, Vincent ran on stage and said that they weren’t done yet.  The curtains opened up, and there were boxes of stroller/carseat combinations.  Chicco generously donated a high end stroller/carseat for all 40 families there! It was amazing to see everyone’s faces light up with excitement.  As the event came to a close, everyone got a chance to thank Vincent and Lindsey for putting the event together.  It was very moving to see how appreciative everyone was.

Here is a short video showcasing the event.   I was so honored to be a part of the event, and hopefully I’ll be able to do it again in the future. Special thanks to Vincent and Lindsey, as well as all the other wonderful people that help out with the foundation.  You can view the Jackson in action Facebook page here:  https://www.facebook.com/jacksoninaction83foundation.

https://youtu.be/kHT3opb4kh8