Spreading Holiday Cheer: Montana Seahawkers' Annual Battle of the Birds Fundraiser
As the holiday season unfolds, the Montana Seahawkers, a chapter of the Sea Hawkers Booster Club, showcased the true spirit of giving with their Battle of the Birds fundraiser event. Among the dedicated chapters spanning the vast reaches of Big Sky Country, the Billings Seahawkers took center stage as they gathered to contribute to this heartwarming cause. The money was raised by our local watch party locations and $361 donated to our Billings area Family Service with another $200 raised by the rest of the state was donated to the Montana Food Bank Network.
This year's fundraiser wasn't just about supporting our beloved Seattle Seahawks; it was about reaching out to local communities and making a positive impact during a time when many families face challenges. The Billings chapter, along with members from the Flathead Valley and the Missoula and Bitterroot Valleys, united to spread joy and festive cheer to those in need.
A video capturing the highlights of the event provides a glimpse into the genuine camaraderie and shared sense of purpose that defines the Seahawkers community. The sight of Seahawks fans coming together, not just as football enthusiasts, but as compassionate individuals committed to making a difference, is truly inspiring.
The Montana Seahawkers are more than a fan club; they are a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting not only the Seahawks, their coaches, and staff but also the local communities they call home. The annual toy donation event is just one of the many initiatives undertaken by the Seahawkers to give back to the regions they serve.
If you're looking to be part of this incredible spirit of giving, the Seahawkers invite you to join their cause. Whether you have connections to Big Sky Country or simply share the desire to make a positive impact, reaching out to the Montana Seahawkers is the first step. Check out the video to witness the joy of giving, and if you feel inclined to contribute, consider making a donation to support their ongoing efforts. Together, we can continue to spread holiday cheer and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those less fortunate.
The Montana Sea Hawkers are committed to serving the communities where we live and beyond.
Volunteer/Charitable Activity Reporting Form: https://www.seahawkers.org/booster-club-info/charitable-activity-form/
2022/2023 Season Update:
Last season brought a lot of changes to the team, but one thing that didn't change was the unwavering support of the Montana Sea Hawkers! We would like to give a big SHOUTOUT to all of our members for making an impact in their communities and for continuing to exemplify what the "Spirit of the 12s" means. Last year, the Montana Chapter, with the help of several game day locations throughout the state, contributed 1690 hours of volunteer time and over $15,000 in charitable donations. This work led to Montana being one of six finalists for the first ever Chapter of the Year award. This included only a few members of our chapter reporting their charitable works - imagine what would happen if ALL Montana Sea Hawkers reported their great work!!
Our own Western VP, Brenda Rosler-Hanson, was named the Sea Hawker of the Year in a vote by all 40 chapters. This award celebrates Brenda’s charitable work in the Flathead Valley with numerous charities, her dedicated work to the Montana Sea Hawkers and her enthusiasm for the Seattle Seahawks. Montana is so proud to have you on this team, Brenda, and your recognition is well-deserved.
Overall this year, Sea Hawkers Chapters around the world have raised over $440,000 and contributed over 20,000 hours of volunteer time to local charities. In 2021, the NFL recognized the Sea Hawkers as official contributors to the Seahawks which helped the team win the first ever NFL Volunteer Service award due to the largest amount of volunteer contributions.
With your support, we want to expand on our service in the future.
Montana Sea Hawkers are committed to serving the communities where we live and beyond.
When we gather to watch games during the 2017-18 season we are asking our members to please bring food, each week, to continue our support of the Montana Food Bank Network.
Cash donations accepted: If for some reason you are unable to attend a Game Day Gathering but would still like to contribute to the charity efforts for the Montana Sea Hawkers you can still make a donation via PayPal on the Montana Sea Hawkers website:
Montana Food Bank Network:
Founded in 1983, the Montana Food Bank Network (MFBN) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to end hunger in Montana through food acquisition and distribution, education and advocacy.
As the only statewide food bank, MFBN solicits, sorts, repackages, warehouses, and distributes donated and purchased food to charitable programs that directly serve hungry Montanans. From a main warehouse and office in Missoula, MFBN distributes emergency food across the state through a network of over 150 Partner Agencies. MFBN is the only fully privileged Montana member of Feeding America, the national hunger fighting organization.
How can you help? Montana Sea Hawkers collect food throughout the season to support the Montana Food Banks network. When we gather to watch games during the season we are asking our members to please bring food, each week.
Our Vision
Partnering with the unsheltered on their journey toward home.
Our Mission
We are committed to breaking the cycle of homelessness by building relationships that empower individuals to achieve their self-determined outcomes.
Our goal at Off The Streets (OTS) is simple: open a low barrier homeless shelter in Billings as soon as possible so that all homeless in our community have a place to stay where they are warm, safe and feel welcomed.
The New Shelter
Off The Streets (OTS) has a goal to purchase the Yellowstone Paper Company building at 20 South 28th Street. Built in 1919 by International Harvester, using concrete throughout for the walls, ceiling, floors and roof, the building is rock solid. With just over 45,000 total square feet inside from 3 floors and over 17,000 square feet of usable outdoor space there is plenty of room to safely shelter up to 250 men, women and children.
OTS needs to raise the initial purchase price of the building as soon as possible. Additionally, OTS will need to raise monies to renovate the building to include elevators, showers, restrooms, kitchen and dining and 120 dormitory style rooms. Renovations are scheduled to begin in the summer of 2023.
Learn more or donate here.
Battle for the Birds Turkey Drive 2019:
Battle for the Birds Turkey Drive 2018:
Thanks to everyone who participated!! The Montana Sea Hawkers are committed to serving the communities where we live and beyond. Recently members teamed up with the Montana Food Bank Network to collect Turkeys to feed hungry people across Montana!
Kicks4Kids
For the third year in a row, Montana Sea Hawkers have participated in the fundraising efforts for Kicks4Kids. The Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz, has partnered with Nike to raise funds to provide brand new athletic shoes to less fortunate children across the United States. Although the first two years of the fundraising efforts were during the COVID-19 pandemic, Montana Sea Hawkers were still able to raise enough money to provide over 40 pairs of Nike shoes to the Kalispell-based organization, The Heart Locker.
For the 2023/2024 season, chapters around the world have combined their fundraising efforts and all monies raised will go towards providing shoes for children in Maui whose communities were recently devastated by deadly wildfires. The deadline for fundraising is fast approaching so we will update the page as soon as we have the final totals.