The Toms Trump

I may have been sworn to non-celebration events for Russ’ birthday, but our friends Lynn and Logan Toms took no such oath not to acknowledge the half-century mark. In true Tom’s fashion they gathered good friends and fellow Carolina fans for a football game outing with full on tailgate extravaganza Logan style.

Logan being a true object of courtesy when it comes to entertaining did all the advance recon. Not only did he and Lynn provide the tickets, 50-yard line for the girls and blue zone for the guys, but also he and Lynn brought the food and more drinks than a bar full of drunks could consume in a week. In the perfect host world of Logan Toms he researches exactly, to the brand, what all his guests might want to drink and makes sure that he has iced down to the correct temperature the makings for each person’s ideal refreshment.

When we got in the car this morning to go to the game he told Russ that he had also arranged a fly over in honor of his birthday, but Russ was not to be fooled by the cover of Military Appreciation. Turns out to be truer than Logan thought.

We arrived at the very special parking deck and parked in the spot that Logan favors since it has large openings to the outdoors to bring light to our tailgate and is right behind Kenan stadium. Once all the savory fare was set up we enjoyed a toast or two to Russ.

Since we were having such a fine time in the parking deck we missed the opening of the game and the very special fly over, but not the All Veteran Group’s parachute jump into the stadium. We could hear the roar of the crowd, but our beverages held our attention.

We were about to pack up and head into the game when four guys and two women dressed in their parachute jumpsuits came out of the stadium and walked up to their van parked just outside our opening in the parking deck. We struck up a conversation with the vets who now run a group who not just jump out of planes at sporting events, but take disable vets up in planes and do tandem jumps with them as a healing exercise.

They were a cool group and we shared our tailgate with them and heard some great stories about their organization. You can see what they do at www.allveterangroup.com. If you ever saw the jump George Bush Sr. did for his 80^th birthday then you saw these guys. Being late to the game paid off.

Eventually we did go in and watch Virginia Tech run all over the heels, but the weather was fantastic, the company was perfect and the hosts were generous. I don’t think Russ can complain that someone celebrated in his name. Thanks to Lynn and Logan, Rich and Susan and Hannah and Mick. It was a great day.