Football season is over.  The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots and are the Champions.  The broadcast was seen by an estimated 111.3 million viewers.  Most tuned in after Madonna's halftime show and Clint Eastwood's way-to-go Detroit commercial.  Tom Brady had a chance to win in the final seconds of the game.  New York prevailed.  Was it just me, or did anyone else hear Three Dog Night crescendo in the background?  "Eli's a-coming, and he's coming to git ya!" We Packer fans feel your pain, Pats; our team dropped the ball, too.

Some of you may be familiar with our Halos of Hope annual shark hat campaign.  Started in 2010, we raise money through donations for hand-crafted shark hats.  Each hat funds the shipping of 250 chemo caps to over 450 cancer centers nationally.  Why sharks?  Because cancer and shark-diving are both a journey of courage.  Our campaign director, Nikki Sevy, told the story best a couple of years ago.  In 2011, we introduced a Halos of Hope original crocheted shark chapeau, thanks to designer, Monica Miles.  Monica shared her journey of courage to create her crocheted shark hat in August, 2011.

I am a fairly speedy crocheter.  My final Sunday with a Side of Football challenge: Could I get a football-themed shark hat completely crocheted and assembled during the 3-plus hours of the Super Bowl?  The body could take until half-time; the caudal fin a quarter, maybe less.  Pick up for the gums, 8 sharp pearly white teeth, DC up that dorsal fin, and pump up those pectorals.  

Alas, I could not.  Body, definitely before halftime; caudal, less than a quarter; gums?  It's always those doggone gums that slow me down.  Takes me awhile to pick up and make those hdcs, and, of course, there was the distraction of food and several canine commercials that made me chuckle.  So even as fast as I can crochet, I cannot complete a shark hat from coin toss to end of game.

But I can finish one shortly thereafter!  I present, Eli-the-Super-Bowl Champion Shark Hat.  Eli is about 15" long, and 19" in circumference.  He will fit a teen or average adult-sized head.  Eli is football brown and made of Bernat Cashmere (body and fins) and Berroco Vintage (mouth and teeth).

We're offering our readers and followers, and NY Giants fans, a chance to win Eli in a post-Sunday-with-a-Side-of-Football Raffle with donations made to our special Halos of Hope/Meet Eli fundraising site.  Our goal is to raise $200 to help grow our shipping fund ensuring that another 500 hats will be sent to cancer centers, oncology offices, and hospitals across the country.

 

Will you help us?  More information about donating for Eli is available at http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/halosofhope/meeteli