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Brooklynn Blood, chair of the Omaha chapter of the BYU Alumni Association, poses for a photo with books that were donated at the BYU alumni tailgate before the football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU representatives (from left) president Shane Reese, athletic director Tom

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU fans donate books at the BYU alumni tailgate before the football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU fans enjoy the alumni tailgate before the football game against Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2023.

Jared Lloyd, Daily Herald

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BYU fans cheer on their team during the Big 12 game against Kansas at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas, on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023.

Courtesy BYU Photo

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As the chapter chair for the BYU Alumni Association in Omaha, Neb., Brooklynn Blood took on the spearheading the efforts to put on the traditional BYU alumni tailgate party that takes place before every Cougar football road game.

This one would be taking place at Buford M. Watson Jr. Park in Lawrence, Kansas, on Sept. 24 as BYU was taking on the Jayhawks and while there was plenty of work that had to be done to make it happen, there was a part of it that Blood felt strongly about.

“I specifically was interested in doing the service project,” Blood said last week. “I know there are a lot of indigenous people and tribes in Big 12 country, specifically here in Kansas. Lawrence is the home of Haskell Indian Nations University, which is a school that focuses on indigenous education.”

She reached out to the indigenous education program at the local school district to find out the best way to help.

“I told them I wanted to get them a bunch of books,” Blood said. “The director there was immediately on board.”

The service project started coming together as Blood set up the book drive for the tailgate party.

It also expanded into a literacy night the evening before the game, one where both BYU mascot Cosmo and Kansas mascot Big Jay were in attendance.

“It was a big celebration and the kids got to pick out a lot of the books that were there,” Blood said. “The books Cougar nation was asked to bring to the tailgate party are specifically by indigenous authors with indigenous themes and characters.”

She said the representation in reading is important.

“We want these families to see themselves in the literature, so we curated the Amazon wish list,” Blood said. “Cougar nation’s response has been overwhelming.”

Before the game even started last week, more than 1,300 books had been purchased online to be donated with boxes more being donated in person at the event.

“A lot of the books are being shipped directly to the school district and they have been opening up packages for days,” Blood said. “It’s been a really great experience to get to know the members of this community. I saw some parents at the literacy night and they were just very appreciative of what BYU was doing for them.”

She said those families may not have known who BYU was but they do now and they know there are people who care about them from all over the country who were buying them books.

Blood said it was an overwhelming to see the response, particularly because of all the work that went into it. She also has been facing a tough time in her family but she said it has been worth it.

“I have four kids and one was recently diagnosed with leukemia,” Blood said. “It happened about the same time as this but being able to help with this project while my son is sick has been a huge blessing. First, I’m able to help because he is doing so well and then I also had a lot of family support. I’m proud of what we have done. It’s been part of the healing process.”

She wanted everyone who participated to know just how much their efforts were appreciated.

“I am so grateful for the community for buying these books for these people,” Blood said. “I have a lot of feelings and they are all good. I feel very proud to be a member of Cougar nation and BYU alumni.”

It’s a story that Michael Johanson, executive director of the BYU Alumni Association, has seen play out across the country as the traditional tailgates have turned into chances to make a difference.

“Our tagline is ‘connected for good’ so when we have the opportunity to connect and do good, we are going to do it,” Johanson said.

He talked about how the tailgate in Knoxville, Tenn., before the BYU-Tennessee game set the tone for the evolution of the service side of the tailgate parties.

“That was when we recognized the power of doing good at a local level through our chapters and our BYU alumni,” Johanson said. “Our job is to create opportunities for alumni to serve meaningfully where they are. When we discovered there was an opportunity there, we just built on it.”

He recalled the challenges of the pandemic and how it shut down most of the tailgates but before the BYU-Boise State game they did a service project where people would drive through to make a donation and then went home to watch the game.

Johanson has seen the impact that the efforts have on both the Cougar alumni and on the local communities that benefit from the efforts.

“We are in the relationship business,” Johanson said. “They existed before the BYU team came and will be their long after. We hope because of what we help create, they will be better.”

As he looked over the crowd at the park in Lawrence and watched them line up to make their donations to the book drive, he said it’s amazing to see the response.

“It’s extremely for me personally,” Johanson said. “It helps us understand that we are part of a big family. The Church (of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) is a big part of that but everyone is a part of it. Why we do our service projects is that we want to send a message loud and clear that we are on this journey together.”

Blood said that anyone who is considering getting involved with the BYU Alumni Association (whether with the tailgate parties or other activities) will find it is definitely worth it.

“BYU is there for them,” Blood said. “The alumni association has a powerful ability to connect people for good. When we are doing these kinds of activities, we really are going forth to serve like the motto of BYU says. We are trying to make our communities the best they can be.”

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