2022 Topps Walmart Gold Star Parallel Kevin Plawecki

 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As a nod to the Gold Together activities going on this month to help raise awareness of the leading cause of death by disease in children, I thought I'd contribute several "gold" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month. Here's the next one.

Let's talk about this card...

I've mentioned it before. The retail sets are a fun way to easily add some variety to my collection. These Gold Star versions are an great way to do it. With one in three factory sets coming with a parallel, there are enough of them to make them obtainable. But, rare enough to bee something a little different. Which is great.

This is a great picture of Plawecki here. He's definitely celebrating an epic accomplishement. The red jersey really pops, and the picture is cropped perfectly. Fantastic execution.

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I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Thank you for supporting her efforts to Love Your Neighbor!

Emma Danaher Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Emma Danaher is passionate about extracurricular activities, a talented painter, and the current Miss Lake Champlain's Teen. I was so excited that she wanted to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Emma Danaher visits Section 36!

What made you decide to compete for the Miss Vermont’s Teen crown as Miss Lake Champlain’s Teen? 

This is my third year holding a local title and competing for Miss Vermont's Teen, each year has been an incredible journey. I continue to compete because it offers a unique opportunity for personal growth and allows me to make a meaningful impact in my community. I chose the title of Miss Lake Champlain's Teen because I believe our lake beautifully captures the spirit of Vermont, and I am proud to represent such a significant part of our state.

What is something that Charlee Royer is doing as Miss Vermont’s Teen that you would like to emulate? 

Charlee’s work with her CSI Beyond the Ribbon is truly inspiring. This nonprofit is a successful 501(c)(3) that provides care boxes for children who have a family member that has been diagnosed with cancer, offering them both support and comfort during difficult times. The positive impact Charlee has made on families through her initiative is incredible. I aspire to emulate this same level of commitment and meaningful contribution through my own CSI, Limitless Miss. My goal is to create a similarly significant impact on our community, providing support and making a difference for youth in the state of Vermont. 

What do you enjoy about performing your talent on stage?

My talent is speed painting, and what I enjoy most about performing it on stage is the excitement of transforming a blank canvas into a piece of art in only 90 seconds. Art has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember, and I’ve been painting and creating from a very young age. I believe that art is a fantastic example of how extracurricular activities improve mental health and provide a meaningful way of personal expression. It’s a very unique talent, as very few girls speed paint on the Miss America stage. Watching Sophia Todd, Miss Kentucky’s Teen, win a preliminary talent award at Miss America last year was incredibly inspiring and wonderful.

How did you select your CSI “Limitless Miss”?

I created Limitless Miss as my CSI because extracurricular activities have been essential to my personal growth, both as a young child and into my teenage years. Having participated in over 15 different activities, with baking and basketball being my favorites, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact they can have. For instance, during challenging times, basketball helped me channel negative emotions into something constructive while staying active. I recognize that not everyone has the same opportunities, often due to financial barriers. Limitless Miss aims to address this by providing scholarships to girls in Vermont, ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent them from pursuing extracurricular interests.

Interested in applying for a Limitless Miss Scholarship? Fill out the request form to get started: Request Form

If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose? Why?

If I could be a Disney character for a week, I would choose Rapunzel. Her creativity and self-expression through art deeply reflect my own interests. Additionally, her bravery in leaving her tower and exploring the unknown is incredibly inspiring. Facing new challenges can be intimidating, but Rapunzel’s fearless attitude transforms uncertainty into an opportunity for growth. Her story motivates me to embrace life’s uncertainties with confidence and view them as chances to learn and grow.

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you would especially like to experience?

I would love to throw the first pitch at a baseball game. The Vermont Lake Monsters would be the perfect team for this experience, especially since I am Miss Lake Champlain’s Teen and their mascot, Champ, is named after Lake Champlain. It would be an incredible opportunity to showcase my role and engage with the community. Additionally, at this game, I would give away a Limitless Miss Scholarship to a girl passionate about softball. This scholarship could be used to offset the costs of joining a team, training, or purchasing equipment. 

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Those would be two great things to do at a game. Hope she can make that happen!

As always, I want to thank Emma for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with her during her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account, as well as her CSI's Instagram. They're both great ways to keep track of everything she has going on. 

Thanks again Emma, and good luck at the Miss Vermont's Teen competition!

2008 Topps Gold ALROY Dustin Pedroia

 September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As a nod to the Gold Together activities going on this month to help raise awareness of the leading cause of death by disease in children, I thought I'd contribute several "gold" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month. Here's the next one.

Let's talk about this card...

I like the way Topps incorporates the gold cards into their base sets. The cards aren't impossible to find, individually numbered to the card year. But, they make something a bit different to chase. The next level of parallel above the retail set one we looked at last time.

That concept is even better on the older cards with full white borders available to turn gold. Instead of a gold stripe on a full bleeg photo, this card really feels like a golden tickt. Even if it's a pretty blah picture of the reigning AL ROY and future MVP.

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I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Thank you for supporting her efforts to Love Your Neighbor!

2022 Topps Walmart Gold Star Parallel Connor Seabold

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As a nod to the Gold Together activities going on this month to help raise awareness of the leading cause of death by disease in children, I thought I'd contribute several "gold" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month. Here's the next one.

Let's talk about this card...

The retail sets are, in my opinion, a fun way to easily add some variety to my collection. These Gold Star versions are an easy way to do it. With one in three factory sets coming with a parallel, there are enough of them to make them obtainable. Which is great.

Love how this card took full advantage of the horizontal layout. You can really see the arm extension and feel the grimace on his face as he throws with maximum effort. Great card.

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I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Thank you for supporting her efforts to Love Your Neighbor!

2015 Topps Gold Throwback Variation David Ortiz

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. As a nod to the Gold Together activities going on this month to help raise awareness of the leading cause of death by disease in children, I thought I'd contribute several "gold" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month. Here's the next one.

Let's talk about this card...

This is a pretty fantastic card. The "throwback" designation refers to the old timey logo in the corner. But, Ortiz is also wearing a throwback uniform in the picture, rocking the 70's pullover version of Sox uniform. The point back to the gudout is just the perfect finishing touch.

The design of the 2015 set is one of the busiest I can remember. There's a lot going on. It's like an intern wanted to show off their computer graphic skills or something. But, the gold version tends to mute that a bit somehow. Which is nice.

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If you are able this month, or any month, to support the Gold Together efforts, I highly recommend you consider a donation. You can follow the the link to the American Cancer Society here.

Support their efforts to be Gold Together!