Major WWE stars doing autograph signing

[Guest bob_barron]

wwe.com-

 

WWE is about to launch a major fundraising initiative, spearheaded by Shawn Michaels, to support the families of soldiers killed in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

On Monday, June 23 -- several hours before RAW at Madison Square Garden -- the Heartbreak Kid, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldberg, Triple H, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair and Trish Stratus will be signing autographs for a nominal fee at FYE in New York City’s Rockefeller Center.

 

All proceeds from that signing -- and from six subsequent autograph sessions in cities across the U.S. -- will go to the Armed Forces Family Scholarship and Assistance Fund (AFFSAF), which provides scholarships for higher education of children of all fallen personnel in the Iraqi and Afghan war operations.

 

Beginning next week, fans can stop by the Rockefeller Center FYE and, for $20, receive a specially produced WrestleMania XX 11-by-17 poster and a wristband. Those fans can return on June 23 with the poster and the wristband and have the poster signed by the seven Superstars. Posters, if still available, can also be purchased on the day of the signing.

 

Because this is a charity event, the Superstars at the autograph session -- scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. -- will only be signing the poster.

 

Signings are also currently being planned at FYE stores in Buffalo, N.Y. (June 30); Indianapolis (July 14); Los Angeles (July 21); the Denver/Colorado Springs area (July 28); Moline, Ill. (Aug. 11); and New Orleans (Sept. 1). More details will be released on those events as they are finalized.

 

HBK came up with the idea for the fundraisers. In a telephone interview on Wednesday, the Heartbreak Kid, currently battling the stomach flu, said, “I was just watching FOX News one day. At that point, I think there were about 126 military personnel who had died in the war. ... I thought, ‘Geez, we ought to be about to do something (to help).’

 

“Being from a military family, I’m a huge patriot. Whether you agree with the war or you don’t, it doesn’t matter. You support the people who go and fight for you.”

 

Michaels and a friend of his got in touch with WWE to start the planning process. He wanted to make the fundraisers something special.

 

“I told (WWE officials) that I didn’t want it to be just something with a bunch of mid-card folks signing autograph mats,” he said. “They said, ‘If you want big-name people, you’re going to have to ask them.’”

 

Michaels did just that.

 

He personally approached the six other Superstars who are scheduled for the New York City event. “They were all definitely in,” he said.

 

The goal is to raise $20,000 at the New York event and a total of $100,000 for the entire tour.

 

“I don’t want to raise a couple of thousand dollars,” he said. “I want to be able to raise a decent amount. If you can raise $100,000 -- that’s not big money, but with all the other places that are (raising money), you might be able to actually leave (families) with something.”

 

Another concern for HBK was finding an organization that would actually funnel every cent of the monies raised to the families.

 

Over the years, Michaels said, he’s participated or contributed to charitable causes only to find out later that much of the money was eaten away by administrative or other fees.

 

But that won’t happen this time. Through the AFFSAF, every dollar raised goes directly to military families because there are no administrative fees incurred by the all-volunteer foundation. The AFFSAF is of and administered by The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation, a 501©3 charity.

 

For more information, click here to visit the official Web site of The Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation.

[The Dames 0]

“I told (WWE officials) that I didn’t want it to be just something with a bunch of mid-card folks signing autograph mats,”

I'm offended for all of the midcard guys who are signing autograph mats right now.

 

For the record Bob, I'm not going to go. Can't skip out on work.

 

Dames

[Guest BifEverchad]

Good jesture for a GREAT cause.

[Guest bob_barron]

“I told (WWE officials) that I didn’t want it to be just something with a bunch of mid-card folks signing autograph mats,”

I'm offended for all of the midcard guys who are signing autograph mats right now.

 

For the record Bob, I'm not going to go. Can't skip out on work.

 

Dames

WOO-HOO! One less person in line!

 

I don't know if I'm going to go- I've met Flair and HATE HATE HATE Shawn but I think it'd be cool to meet some of the biggest stars in wrestling

[Guest Austin3164life]

I might go to the one in Buffalo, if I don't work that day. I live an hour away from Buffalo (in Rochester) and I'd like to meet Shawn, Austin, and Flair at least. At least Shawn is showing some class.

[Crimson Platypus 0]

Wow so kind of him to donate a few hours of his time. If he cared so much perhaps he could donate some of his own money?

 

But I do think it's a good idea.

[Guest Kid Kablam]

Wow so kind of him to donate a few hours of his time. If he cared so much perhaps he could donate some of his own money?

 

But I do think it's a good idea.

I'm pretty sure that HBK has plety of charities he donates to

[Guest HartFan86]

Great cause and a great idea. I don't appreciate HBK's comment about the midcarders, but his point about how bigger names attract more people makes much sense.

 

And 20 bucks is a pretty fucking good deal for all of them.