We are pleased to share the information for the Dave Blackburn Memorial Tree and Plaque, cap tip Kenny Schwartz:
Help fund the installation of a 25 foot oak tree and memorial plaque in honor of Dave Blackburn.
(Santa Barbara, California)
Click here for indie-gogo page.
The Opportunity
Maccabi USA Softball has ordered the memorial plaque and tree and the installation arrangements have been made. They are offering this opportunity for others to be part of Dave’s memorial by contributing towards the cost through this crowd funding site.
The Location: Elings Park in Santa Barbara, CA
As you can see from this aerial shot overlooking Elings Park this is a spectacular site and is an appropriate location for Dave’s memorial because it was the host location for the “Best of the West” softball tournament that Dave was in charge of for the last 13 years. He was very passionate about softball and he was passionate about this place.
This tree and plaque will be a fitting reminder of his enthusiasm and dedication to the sport and worldwide community of softball which he supported and enjoyed his entire life.
The Tree
This 25 foot oak tree will grow to a height befitting Dave’s stature and will be a testament to his strength and calm nature. Are we crazy, or does it sort of look like him to you, too?
The tree was planted last week and is doing well !!
The Plaque
A plaque will be installed on a stone near the tree.
It is in process of being made at this time, but here is the design for the plaque:
All of the dark areas of the plaque are raised and all of the white areas are set back (so, it is very 3D).
Here is an example of kinda what it’ll look like on a stone:
Our Goal Amount
The memorial tree and plaque cost $3,000 USD and the additional $500 we are asking to cover the site and credit card fees.
$18 per person
Eighteen is a number which has spiritual significance in the Jewish religion and is associated with good luck, so monetary gifts are often $18 or multiples of $18. Also, this amount will allow many people to contribute and be involved in Dave’s memorial. Dave had a very large circle of friends in various industries and interest groups and this is a way for us to come together to honor his life and legacy.
Our Stretch Goal
Any additional funds raised past the $3,500 project goal will go to “The Blackburn Fund” at Maccabi USA to help assist financially underfunded athletes to get to the Maccabiah Games,
Save the Date
On Nov. 22, 2014 during the Young Bucks softball tournament in Santa Barbara, CA there will be a dedication event in Dave’s honor at the Cappello picnic area of the Elings Park softball complex.
If you are interested in attending the dedication event, contact Kenny for additional info:
k-vision [at]earthlink.net
Ronnie says
(The day that Fastpitch died:)
Dave and I met on a softball field in Hammond Indiana in June 1981. The next year Dave moved out to the strand in Manhattan beach, where he became heavily involved in Fastpitch softball where we re- connected and became fast friends. Dave and I both learned the game as kids, as both our fathers played at the open level exposing us to what would be a passion that would dominate our adult lives. We roomed up on countless occasions at softball tourneys all over the country for 30 years. We always had plenty in common to talk about and our lives seemed to mirror one another. Him in Illinois and me in California with the common thread our love of Fastpitch. Dave was easy to be around and talk to, his twisted sense of humor was keen and his wit sharp. He was brilliant and had an encyclopedic knowledge and respect of the history of open Fastpitch softball. He was truly one of the funniest people I’ve known . He was an ambassador of the game and a great pitcher and competitor in his own right. His accomplishments on the field for Maccabi USA will be a tough act to follow, and his Hall of Fame honors well deserved. His accomplishments off the field as a pioneer in streaming Fastpitch live over the internet will continue to bring the Fastpitch community together on several continents around the world long after he’s gone. I will miss his emails and calls. I’ll miss the time we spent hanging out laughing, the walks down the Venice boardwalk talking softball, watching the freaks go by. Dave loved the Venice scene and passionately embraced the California weather and lifestyle. The 34 years we were friends was a blessing and I love and miss him terribly. I will never be able to look at a softball field again without thinking of him and the profound loss to Fastpitch softball.