Hey everyone! 🎉 Just a quick reminder about tonight’s MasonRVA Festivus Happy Hour! 🍻 Don’t forget to bring a small gift (less than $5) for our White Elephant gift exchange – it’s always a blast! 🐘🎁
If you’re wondering where to find us, no worries! I’ll make sure to let the host at the front door know where we’ll be, so you can join in on the fun. Looking forward to seeing you all there! 🥳
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Capitol Ale House, Downtown Richmond
🎉 Join MasonRVA for a Festivus Happy Hour and White Elephant Gift Exchange! 🎁
📅 Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2023 🕔 Time: 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM 📍 Location: Capitol Ale House, Downtown Richmond
‘Tis the season to celebrate with fellow Mason alumni in Richmond! 🎄 Get into the holiday spirit and join us for a special Festivus-themed Happy Hour at Capitol Ale House.
Here are the details:
🎁 White Elephant Gift Exchange: Bring a wrapped gift valued under $5 for our hilarious White Elephant Gift Exchange. It’s the perfect way to share some laughs and spread holiday cheer!
🍻 Happy Hour Specials: Enjoy exclusive drink specials and delicious food options at Capitol Ale House while catching up with old friends and making new connections.
🎉 Networking and Fun: Connect with fellow alumni, share your favorite Mason memories, and hear exciting updates about the university.
Don’t miss out on this festive gathering of Mason alumni in Richmond! It’s the perfect opportunity to celebrate the holidays, exchange gifts, and enjoy the company of your Mason family.
Please RSVP to help us plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing you there!
The Mason Men’s Basketball Team is heading to #10 Tennessee for their biggest test of the year so fare. Coming of a good road win in Toledo, the team is 7 – 1 and ranks in the top 100 on Kenpom (#92 currently), a place we haven’t been at this point in the season in about ten years.
Since the game is on ESPN+, to make sure we have access to the game, I am going to host the watch party at my house. I have a 60″ TV, plenty of chairs and will make sure I have a few cold beverages and snacks on hand (or feel free to BYOB).
Be sure to check back for more details, updates, and more events, but here are the events we have on the calendar so far! TBD locations for MasonRVA events will be determined based on your feedback. Look for a survey to be posted soon.
Date
Time
Where
Event
Tue, Dec 5, 2023
6:30 – 8:30pm
TBD
MasonMBB @ 7 UTenn Watch Party – The men are looking good so far this season with Final Four guard Tony Skinn as a first year coach. The team plays hard and they can score. Not sure we are ready for a top team 10 yet, but it will be fun Livin’ on a Prayer again!
Wed, Dec 20, 2023
5:00 – 6:30pm
TBD
Happy Hour – Festivus Edition. Bring a gift (under $5) for a White Elephant Gift Exchange. (2nd Wed moved one week due to conflicts on 12/13)
Tue, Jan 9, 2024
4:00 – 11pm
Car/Van Pool from RVA
MasonMBB vs VCU Road Trip – If you live in Richmond, there is a good chance your significant other may be a VCU alum. All are welcome to ride with us so witness the beat down of VCU in Fairfax.
Wed, Jan 10, 2024
5:00 – 6:30pm
TBD
2nd Wednesday Happy Hour
Sat Jan 13, 2024
12:00 – 3:00pm
Scotts Addition, Richmond
MasonRVA Lunch & Brewery Tour – All Mason Alumni and their family & friends welcome.
Student Sendoff – My favorite event every year. Meet the future Mason alumni and their parents from Richmond who will never return because they will get jobs in the DMV.
Help the Central Virginia community this year by bringing non-perishable donations to City Stadium from 5:00-8:00pm or donate online until 11:59pm, Sep 13, 2023, and help the Mason Alumni Network in Richmond BEAT VCU again! We challenge our alumni friends in Fairfax and beyond to help out!
11th Annual Alumni Charity Challenge to support FeedMore!
Copyright: James H Loving 2017
And while your in the giving mood, take a few minutes to visit Give Mason page and make your annual donation of $25 or more (great habit to get into like changing your batteries in your fire detectors when we change our clocks an hour to spring forward or fall back).
Looking forward to seeing you on September 13th and with your help, lets BEAT VCU! (and the Hokies, Wahoos, Dukes, Tribe, Spiders, etc.)
HISTORY OF THE ALUMNI CHARITY CHALLENGE
The Alumni Charity Challenge was established in 2013 by the VCU Alumni Chapter with Mason Alumni Network in Richmond (#MasonRVA) one of only seven alumni chapters in attendance on a cool rainy day. Over the last 10 years, the challenge has grown to include over 40 alumni chapters and collecting more than 797,000 pounds of canned goods. Feed More collects, prepares and distributes food to neighbors in need across 29 counties and five cities in Central Virginia. This year 34 schools will be represented and we have the goal to collectively raise 150,000 pounds of food (75 tons).
Despite the rain in 2013, Mason Alumni embarrassed VCU alumni and then did it again in 2014 on their own turf in Richmond (RVA) by donating nearly twice as much food as all other local alumni chapters combined, In 2015, 2016 & 2017 Mason Alumni finished 2nd or 3rd behind VCU and/or Virginia Tech alumni. In 2018 with the addition of online giving and out-of-state schools, the big boys from the Big 10 came to play and took the top spots, but Mason reclaimed the top bragging rights for Virginia schools. This year is the first year since the pandemic MasonRVA has participated in the Challenge since the pandemic. We know we are #1 in Virginia so let’s do it again this year and see if we can beat the “big boys” like we did in 2006!
#MASONNATION! CLICK HERE to donate $10 or more online to FeedMore (Central Virginia Food Bank) and help #MasonRVA alumni beat VCU alumni at home (and 40 other alumni associations) for the 7th annual Alumni Charity Challenge.
Donations for the challenge will be accepted through September 18, 2019 at 11:59 p.m. EST.
MasonRVA’s goal is to raise 12,000 pounds of food ($2,500) this year. All donations made TODAY (Sep 18) will be matched up to $500 by me!
And if you happen to live or be in Richmond Virginia between 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sep 18 stop by and visit MasonRVA, the Patriot and fellow alumni @ Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (downtown location). We will be accepting food donations, as well as, have a laptop onsite so you can donate online.
Alumni Charity Challenge – Wednesday, September 18 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. @ Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (downtown Richmond location next to Feedmore).
This is 7th annual Alumni Charity Challenge and this year The Patriot is planning to attend from Fairfax so you have no excuse (bring the kids, Hardywood is family friendly and there will be food trucks)!
The Patriot
Help the Richmond community this year by bringing non-perishable donations to Hardywood Brewing from 5:30-8:30pm or donate online until 11:59pm September 18. and help the Mason Alumni Network in Richmond BEAT VCU again! We challenge our alumni friends in Fairfax and beyond to help out!
And while your in the giving mood, take a few minutes to visit Give Mason page and make your annual donation of $25 or more (great habit to get into like changing your batteries in your fire detectors when we change our clocks an hour to spring forward or fall back).
Looking forward to seeing you on September 18th and with your help, lets BEAT VCU! (and the Hokies, Wahoos, Dukes, Tribe, Spiders, etc.)
UPDATE! The SEC is showing up this year, but Mason is currently in 5th Place overall (1st in state) as of noon Tuesday, Sep 17! 36 hours to go MASON NATION! Let’s show our PATRIOT PRIDE and show these other schools who is #1!
HISTORY OF THE ALUMNI CHARITY CHALLENGE
Mason was one of seven of the original schools invited by VCU to participate in the 1st alumni charity challenge at Hardywood in 2013. It rained that year so attendance was small, but since then the Alumni Charity Challenge has collected over 94 tons of canned goods with the support of over 30+ colleges from in-state and out-of-state. Feed More collects, prepares and distributes food to neighbors in need across 29 counties and five cities in Central Virginia. This year 41 schools will be represented and we have the goal to collectively raise 150,000 pounds of food (75 tons).
Despite the rain in 2013, Mason alumni embarrassed VCU alumni and then did it again in 2014 on their own turf in Richmond (RVA) by donating nearly twice as much food as all other local alumni chapters combined, In 2015, 2016 & 2017 Mason Alumni finished 2nd or 3rd behind VCU and/or Virginia Tech alumni. Last year with the addition of online giving and out-of-state schools, the big boys from the Big 10 came to play and took the top spots, but Mason reclaimed the top bragging rights for Virginia schools. We know we are #1 in Virginia so let’s do it again this year and see if we can beat the “big boys” like we did in 2006!
Come help us celebrate new students becoming Patriots! This year the student send-off will be at Agecroft Hall & Gardens in Richmond’s exclusive Windsor Farms neighborhood made famous internationally by Patricia Cornwell and well known in Richmond for it’s garden tours. The send-off will include free tours of the mansion brought to the USA brick-by-brick from England, heavy hors d’oeuvres, and a photo scavenger hunt in the gardens.
Agecroft Hall & Gardens (map) 4305 Sulgrave Road Richmond, VA 23221-3256
Wednesday, August 7th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. rain, shine, or 100% humidity (we have reserved two private air conditioned rooms to welcome future alumni to Mason Nation)!
All Mason Alumni are welcome, but if you would like to volunteer help w/ setup, cleanup, and/or during the event, please click here to sign-up!
The summer send-off is the 3rd of 4 major events MasonRVA helps host in Richmond every year (the others are the Alumni Charity Challenge in Sep, the Mason Lobbies Reception in Jan, and the Mason vs University of Richmond Spiders in Feb).
Come out and connect with fellow alumni. Featuring a Live Band! Meet the Richmond Alumni Network, Athletics, and Us! Only steps from the TBT Tournament if you decide to attend. Check out The Camel’s Happy Hour Specials. Alumni, Friends and Guests are welcomed to attend. No Registration Fee.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Back to the Future
And yes, when the Green Machine (the royal “we”) beat the Web (the Richmond Alumni team), “we” (barring an upset – GO Team DRC) get to play Ram Nation on their home court just like, oh just about every CAA Tournament between 1996- 2012 (only worse, because the TBT is at the Siegel Center not the Richmond Coliseum – and by the way – someone tell ESPN the Siegel Center does NOT give the Web a “home-court advantage” even if is in the same town – see ESPN’s Ranking every team… below).
