Promotional photos for the 2013 BURGHBAND™ Discount Program. Right-click the thumbnails and select “Open in a new window” for access to the high-res files.  All images ©BurghLife 2013.

BurghLife donated t-shirts to a Pittsburgh-based non-profit organization called the Cameroon Football Development Program that uses football (soccer) as a way to teach Cameroon youth about critical issues that will affect their future.  The tees reflected the organization’s travel from “Pittsburgh to K-Town.”  K-Town is a term used for Kumba, a town in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, Africa. The management team was very grateful of our support and sent us several pictures and a thank-you letter, which is included below. Learn more about this great organization and how you can provide support — visit their website at www.cameroonfdp.org

Dear Burghlife.

To you, we really want to say thank you for the support you offered to us with the T- shirts. In fact, words alone cannot express how thankful and grateful we are for your kind gesture. This equipment is being used to encourage all our management team members  who show great passion and devotion in the activities of Cameroon Football Development Program (CFDP).

Talking about CFDP, we are a baby organization based in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, in Kumba precisely, using football as a sustainable means to provide education on health issues like prevention of HIV and malaria and life skills topics to enhance the capacity and leadership abilities of our kids. We combine the game of football (soccer) which all of the kids love with guided discussions by our trained staff and volunteers. With CFDP, youth can learn about critical issues which affect their future in an atmosphere that makes learning fun…

Once again we want to say thank you for all your support, indeed it is going to be a big boost to the entire management team members .

- CFDP Management Team

“The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its first wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

I recently went to see The Great Gatsby for the second time. Considering the cost of movies in theaters these days, paying twice to see any movie may not seem to be practical…but my love of the book (and Leonardo DiCaprio) trumps rising ticket prices. I read the book in high school and have been excited since I first heard they were doing a remake.

If you’re looking for a perfect retelling of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel, I recommend saving money and watching the 1974 version with Robert Redford on Netflix (as I mentioned in my earlier post, I’m addicted to Netflix). BUT if you want to be transported to the lavish party atmosphere of the 1920s, then this is the version for you. Although I don’t mean to say the current movie strays completely from the original novel… in fact, some of the lines — like the quote above — come straight from the book.

In the opening quote, Fitzgerald is of course referring to New York City… but this perfectly sums up my feelings for Pittsburgh when driving over the Hot Metal Bridge. I’m sure the same can be said of numerous other passageways to downtown, but my first memory of the city of Pittsburgh is driving over the Hot Metal Bridge. When I was young that bridge meant exploring a new place. As I got older the city held onto its beauty. After moving into Oakland the bridge means even more to me. Not only does it connect me to Pittsburgh, but it also connects me to Pitt and all the wonder and promise that comes from college life.

Hot Metal Bridge happens to be my “Queensboro Bridge” but there are many passages to Pittsburgh. Which route makes you see Pittsburgh the first time or every time? Is it seeing the city driving down 279? The view coming out of the Fort Pitt Tunnel?  Use the comment section below and let us know what “wild promise” Pittsburgh brings you. We’d love to see your feedback!