Toasting the 2020 STLFC Kickoff with the St. Louligans

After work Tuesday night (3 March), I drove to 2nd Shift Brewing (http://www.2ndshiftbrewing.com/) in St. Louis' Hill neighborhood. The St. Louligans (https://stlouligans.com/) gathered for their Kickoff Toast event ahead of the Saint Louis FC (https://www.saintlouisfc.com/) season opener tonight.

I ordered the Flying Pig dinner from the Guerrilla Street Food (https://www.facebook.com/guerrillastreetfood) booth there, and selected the new Key Lime Brewligans beer (http://www.2ndshiftbrewing.com/beers/key-lime-brewligans/), and later had tacos from a buffet line set up by Mission Taco Joint (https://www.missiontacojoint.com/).

We chatted, walked around the hospitality room, and watched the St. Louis Blues game on the TV screens. We were asked about our hopes for this season in a recording to be posted on the St. Louligans' podcast, "This is Silly with the Louligans!" (https://stlouligans.com/archives/category/podcast)

Those of us who ordered this year's St. Louligans' scarf--such as myself--received it at this event.

Three of us modeled Saint Louis FC's new away shirt--white with thin navy hoops on the front. It will be worn with white shorts and socks. (The home kit remains the same as last year's.)

I later had another 2nd Shift beer, Bruce's Best Brown (http://www.2ndshiftbrewing.com/beers/bruces-best-brown/). Sometime after finishing that beer, I left for home.

Saint Louis FC hosts The Miami FC tonight at 7:00 pm at West Community Stadium of World Wide Technology Soccer Park. The St. Louligans' tailgate starts two hours before kickoff. See you there!

Later.

Leap Day with MPC and St. Louligans

Yesterday morning (29 February) found me driving to the St. Louis Artists' Guild (https://www.stlouisartistsguild.org/) for the February meeting of Missouri Professional Communicators (MPC) (https://www.facebook.com/MissouriProfessionalCommunicators/). Lawyer and community activist Denise Lieberman was the featured speaker. A long-time voting rights activist, she coordinates the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, a group of organizations, and is also director of the Power & Democracy Program for Advancement Project, a Washington, DC-based civil rights and racial justice organization.

Lieberman spoke on how the media can help or hinder voter equality, and on voter suppression efforts in recent years. She also talked about how she and other attorneys are working at for protect voting rights at this year's primary and general elections. It was quite a fascinating program, highly relative with the Missouri presidential preference primary coming up next week, the main primary election in August, and the general election in November.

After coming home to change clothes and eat lunch, I went early that afternoon to World Wide Technology Soccer Park for Saint Louis FC's (https://www.saintlouisfc.com/) final 2020 preseason match. They were hosting Forward Madison FC (https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/) of USL League 1 (https://www.uslsoccer.com/usl-league-one), which is one level below USL Championship (https://www.uslsoccer.com/usl-championship).

Before the match, I joined others from the St. Louligans (https://stlouligans.com/) in a joint tailgate with The Flock (https://fwdflock.com/), a supporter group backing Forward Madison. We chatted with each other, drank beer, and participated in a raffle whose proceeds went to the Disabled Athlete Sports Association (https://www.dasasports.org/).

We then walked into West Community Stadium for the match. Forward Madison took an early lead with a 6th minute goal. Saint Louis had a penalty kick just before halftime; however, Madison's goalkeeper stopped the shot. Saint Louis scored twice late in the match--a penalty kick in the 80th minute and another tally at the death--to run out 2-1 winners.

After the match, the St. Louligans and The Flock returned to the parking lot to drink and socialize a bit more before leaving. I got some cans of beer that The Flock brought down with them--beers I have yet to try.

Saint Louis FC opens the regular season at home this Saturday night (7 March) with a 7:00 pm match against The Miami FC. Before that, the St. Louligans will be at 2nd Shift Brewing (http://www.2ndshiftbrewing.com/?age-verified=f79a9b4611) in south St. Louis for a season kickoff event. Should be fun!

Later.