Lots of people have their own celebrity sighting stories, but imagine a vacation where seeing a sea of Buckeye sports personalities is as easy as going to dinner.
This fandom fantasy is a reality for anyone on board the Buckeye Cruise for Cancer.
Since 2008, Brutus, Eddie George, Archie Griffin and many more have gathered for the star-studded stay at sea that now benefits the Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research and The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center: Arthur G. James Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.
“We are here to unite Buckeye Nation for a great cause,” says Lisa Cisco, founder of the event. “We take over the whole ship with 2,300 guests, 32 athletes and cheerleaders. We have auctions and Fund-A-Need that (is projected to) generate over a million dollars.”
Beginning Feb. 19, the four-night venture starts in Tampa. After a day at sea, the crew and friends spend a day at Cozumel Port. Passengers will enjoy another day at sea before returning to the Tampa shore.
“There’s more time at sea this year because we’re trying to make it more interactive with the Buckeyes,” Cisco says.
On board, attractions include Dancing Under the Stars, a Heisman chat with Archie Griffin and “Buckeye Blingo,” which is a game of bingo in which winners receive diamonds and other jewelry.
Children are welcome on the ship with the accompaniment of an adult or guardian 21 years or older.
“We have never had any trouble,” Cisco says. “Everyone looks out and takes care of each other. Kids can roam free. It’s a great family atmosphere. We also have a couple hundred singles on board.”
Other activities include Scoonie Penn’s corn toss tournament, two hours of autograph signing sessions, rock climbing, beer tasting, unofficial athlete-driven belly flop contests and various auctions.
“The guys get up there and auction off these experience packages,” Cisco says. “A.J. Hawk will get up there and auction off two specialized box seats, and his wife will cook dinner for them. It’s such a unique opportunity. Up to 12 people can even buy a private, six-course meal with Urban and Shelley.”
In past years, Buckeye football strength coach Anthony Schlegel – known for his impressive tackle of an on-field intruder – has offered his services as a hunting buddy.
“He’s auctioned off a wild hog hunting trip, and the videos they would bring back cracked me up,” says Shelley Meyer. “That prize wasn’t for me, but it did bring in a lot of donations. He’s so much fun.”
The Meyers help host the trip and play an active role in many events, including the opening ceremony. This kickoff allows fans to scout the field and see all their favorite players and legends in one room.
“Everyone is so excited, and they’re not tired yet from staying up at 2 a.m. and laying out in the sun all day,” Shelley says. “Everyone has so much energy. Everywhere you go, I can’t even tell you how many times you hear ‘OH – IO.’”
New to the cruise this year are NFL draft picks and current players Ryan Shazier, Jack Mewhort and Jake Stoneburner, along with Super Bowl XLV champion Matt Wilhelm.
Each year, fan favorite FBA provide live music for passengers. The group brings together a blend of OSU-themed hip-hop and dance music.
“I know all their raps by the end of the trip,” Shelley says. “Sometimes they take popular songs and put Ohio lyrics over top. My absolute favorite is when the disco opens up. Everyone is dancing; Brutus is out there, the cheerleaders are there and FBA comes out and freestyles.”
The annual event began as a dream for Cisco. Her original goal was to raise and donate $1 million toward cancer research. Since her philanthropic plans materialized, the cruise has raised almost $6 million, and she believes it won’t have trouble reaching the $7 million mark this year.
“This year, we are aiming to raise $2 million,” Cisco says. “It looks promising, considering we’re over $700,000 before even taking off.”
Money raised through the cruise’s Fund-A-Need program has gone to the James for much-needed specialty machinery, including a flow cytometer, a laser-based technology used for cell counting and sorting; an ion torrent sequencer, a faster and more efficient means of genetic sequencing; and, most recently, a mass spectrometer, an instrument that measures masses and concentrations of atoms and molecules.
“In the beginning, I talked to the James about starting up the cruise, and they liked the idea,” Cisco says. “I knew Stephanie Spielman, and the whole thing started through her. Over the years, we decided to make it for all cancers because there are so many people affected by this disease, and the James suggested we do this to benefit the Meyers’ fund. Shelley and Urban have been on board for the past four years.”
While 90 percent of all tickets have been sold or reserved, there is the chance that Buckeye fans can still get their hands on some. Visit www.buckeyecruise.com or call 614-792-6204 to reserve space or a place on the waiting list.
“I have never had so much fun raising money,” Shelley says. “No other university has a cruise – a four-day tailgate – where all 2,300 people on board are fans. It’s a celebration, but the main reason is to combat a terrible disease.”
For those who cannot make the cruise but still wish to donate, that option is also available on the website.
Stephan Reed is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
