If you’d still like to purchase tickets, head over to greatbighomeandgarden.com, use promo code CiC, and get tickets to the Great Big Home and Garden Show for only $10!

Now to change gears a bit…

Two years ago, a group of Cleveland young professionals came together to fight Alzheimer’s disease with football.

The annual BvBCLE flag football game celebrates the age-old rivalry between blondes and brunettes. However, the question in this game isn’t who has more fun, but who plays harder: the Blonde Bombshells or Blazin’ Brunettes?

I attended Cleveland’s first Blondes vs. Brunettes game in 2012 and was floored by the players’ enthusiasm — not just for the game, but also for raising awareness and money for the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

That first year raised $41,253, which went to support Alzheimer’s research and the free programs helping 56,000+ people affected in Northeast Ohio. To date, Blondes vs. Brunettes Cleveland Flag Football has raised more than $80,000 and is excited to make the 3rd annual event even bigger.

Cleveland’s 3rd annual Charity Powderpuff Football Game to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Sign up at BvBCLE.org.

BvBCLE ’14 will be held on Saturday, June 7 at 11 a.m. on Cleveland State University’s Krenzler Field.

Although June may seem far away, Cleveland’s Blondes vs. Brunettes league has already been busy preparing.  And no wonder, this year’s fundraising goal is a staggering $51,000.

Player registration just opened this week. Depending on your hair color, women can now register for Team Blonde or Team Brunette. Redheads are free agents and can choose either team.

Although ladies-only play, anyone can coach, join a committee or make a donation to BvBCLE.  In fact, your donation gets you a ticket to the game.

Learn more about how you can get involved at www.BvBCLE.org.

One of my favorite Girls Days Out from last year at Jen’s wedding

UPDATE: In addition to entering my giveaway below for SPANK! at PlayhouseSquare, you can increase your chances of winning by checking out Smitten in Cleveland’s, WhyCLE’s and Life in the CLE’s giveaways going on now.

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I find that when I need to blow off steam, a Girls’ Night (or Day) Out is the best remedy – whether it’s yoga with Poise in Parma or @CLEYogi, or a Sunday of Les Mis, crafting and Downton Abbey.

If you want to make like Cyndi Lauper and have fun, I have 2 upcoming girls’ nights and a giveaway for you:

While these events are primarily geared towards women, anyone is encouraged to attend.

Battle of the Bombshells Happy Hour Kickoff
Jan. 11, 8-10pm at Around the Corner

The Battle of the Bombshells is back! Last summer the Blondes vs. Brunettes flag football fundraiser came to Cleveland for the first time and raised $41,253.00 to tackle Alzheimer’s disease.

This year’s goal is to raise $50,000, which will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association’s research, support and care efforts for more than 56,000 affected in Northeast Ohio.

And BvBCLE wants YOU!

Join them this Friday, Jan. 11 from 8-10pm at Around the Corner.  $20 gets you all you can eat and drink at their Happy Hour Kickoff.

While you’re there, learn more and sign up to participate in this year’s game. Women and men are both being recruited.

Ladies play ball (red-heads are free agents), but anyone can coach or join an event committee.

Teams Blonde and Brunette will also be competing to raise funds by raffling off a booze basket and other prizes until 10pm.

RSVP on Facebook or email sberman@alz.org. And learn more about BVBCLE’s other going ons by visiting bvbcle.org, @bvbcle and facebook.com/bvbcleveland.

SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody and Giveaway
Jan. 17-27 at the Hanna Theatre

While Fifty Shades of Grey hasn’t made it on my reading list yet, I’m a sucker for a good spoof.

SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody arrives at Cleveland’s Hanna Theatre January 17 through 27.

Described as: “the hilarious unauthorized musical satire that brings the naughty fun of the saucy best-selling book to life in one laugh-filled high-energy show. Part Chippendales, part Second City…all in one delicious package.”

On Jan. 20, you can join me, WhyCLE, Smitten in Cleveland and Life in the CLE for a special Sunday Funday at SPANK. The show starts at 3pm with pre-show cocktails beforehand.

Because I’m a firm believer in the more the merrier, I have 2 tickets and drink tickets to give away to the show:

There are 5 Easy Ways to Enter the Giveaway!
Leave a separate comment on this post for each entry.

1) For one entry, leave a comment on this post sharing what your favorite girls night out activity is. (You can just get me a bottle of wine and sushi and I’m happy.)

2) Follow @ADHicken on Twitter and leave one comment here letting me know you did.

3) If you’re a fan of Clue Into Cleveland on Facebook, leave a comment on this blog post letting me know. If you’re not yet a fan, you can become one here.

4) Twitter users can also get an extra entry each day for tweeting: “I want to see SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody. Enter @ADHicken’s Girls Day Out giveaway for your chance to win: http://wp.me/p2Ukr0-1L7”  (Each day you do this, you must leave a new comment.)

5) Subscribe to receive Clue Into Cleveland blog posts by email or via the RSS feed and leave a comment letting me know you did. This can include signing up to receive email notifications in the top-right “Subscribe” section of this page.

You have until Sunday, Jan. 13 at 11:59PM to enter. On Monday, Jan. 14, I will select a winner using Random.org and will announce their name on my blog.  Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry.

Disclosure: I was invited to host a giveaway and blog about SPANK! at PlayhouseSquare in exchange for 2 tickets to see the show. Opinions here are my own.

Thanks to avid Cleveland blog reader Lindsay Meggas and HungryinCLE for the heads up about these two opportunities:

Blondes vs. Brunettes benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland

In Spring 2012, the Cleveland Area Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association is bringing the first annual Blondes vs. Brunettes flag football game to Cleveland. 

Other cities have hosted these Blondes vs. Brunettes games before and raised a lot of awareness and money for Alzheimer’s research. Most recently, Washington DC’s 7th annual game raised $123,000.

Blondes vs. Brunettes is a women’s powder puff flag football game where both women and men can join the fight to end Alzheimer’s. Not a blonde or brunette? Then, you’re a free agent and can choose your team.

The Cleveland chapter of the  Alzheimer’s Association is recruiting women and men in their 20s and 30s to not just play, but also help with practices and coaching, event planning, sponsorships, marketing, recruitment and more.

Even though the game’s not until the Spring, Blondes vs. Brunettes involves a season of events leading up to the big day, including a draft party and happy hours.

First up: The BvB Kickoff Party next Wednesday, Dec. 14.

Join the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter at Around the Corner in Lakewood.  The party starts at 6:00PM and costs $20 at the door for 2 hours of unlimited food and drinks. There will also be information about how to get involved.

RSVP here.  And contact Sheryl at sheryl.berman@alz.org or 216-231-1466 with any questions.

Sponsor HungryinCLE in the Liver Life Challenge

When I started running, Stephanie at HungryinCLE was one of my inspirations.

She’s an amazing runner and is participating in my dream running event: the Walt Disney World Marathon to support the Liver Life Challenge.

In addition to running 26.2 miles, she has a fundraising goal of $3400. I could never run a full marathon (maybe a half marathon one day in the distant future, but never a full one), so seeing Stephanie do this is incredible.

All donations will help the American Liver Foundation provide community-based education, research, support, and advocacy related to preventing and treating: 

• Liver cancer, one of the few primary cancers on the rise in the United States.
• The approximately 5.4 million Americans chronically infected with hepatitis B or hepatitis C (about 65% and 75% , respectively, are unaware that they are infected).
• The 25% of the U.S. population who could have Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease – a condition that can lead to life-threatening damage.

It’s a cause personally important to me so head over to Stephanie’s fundraising page and sponsor her with a donation. You can also follow her @HungryinCLE to see how her training is going and read a Q&A with her on WhyCLE’s blog to learn more about the Challenge! 

Spread some holiday cheer to others this season by supporting both of these great causes!