Have you always wanted to be a mascot, but never got the opportunity or wanted to participate in fun and energetic Public Relations Events for community service, but never knew how? Hoxworth Blood Center may have the opportunity for you. Hoxworth is currently looking for a team of UC Students that would be interested in being performers/handlers of our mascot, “Buddy” the Blood Drop. “Buddy” (Seen above with the Bearcat) and handlers participate in various Public Relations and Marketing opportunities around the Greater Cincinnati Area. Some of these opportunities include; Bearcat Bash, Bengals Nation Broadcast, Bengals Pregame Festivities, fairs, parades, blood drives and other events around town just to name a few.
What we are looking for are performers and handlers to help get our mascot “Buddy” out and about in the public. As a performer, you will be wearing a costume while walking, posing for pictures, dancing, and having fun in general. You will have people want to give you high fives, hugs and take photos with you. Remember, you will be in a costume, so there is a layer of warmth that comes with that. As a handler, you will be working with the performer to help them get the costume on. As well as, making sure they have everything they may need to function safety, making sure the performer’s safety is not jeopardized in any way. Handlers may also hand out SWAG or information to people they and “Buddy” come in contact with. Since performers and handlers work in tandem, this is a great opportunity for a team of friends to do something together and get community service hours in a fun and interactive way.
Some “Buddy” and handler events will be on campus or with-in walking distance from campus, other events may require some travel. We are willing to work with each of our performers and handlers to make sure they have proper directions when going to any location and a name of a contact of who to speak with when you get there. A majority of the time, your contact will be a member of Hoxworth’s staff who is also participating in the event. Again, we are looking to have a team of performers/handlers to assist in these opportunities which will be multiple days and times of the week. These events can consist of a couple of hours and/or four hours or above. Mascots will only be expected to be in the costume for a limited amount of time and breaks can and should be taken as needed.
We will have an opportunity to “try-out” and join the volunteer team as Buddy performers/handlers the week of the UC All Campus Blood Drive in the Great Hall of TUC (September 20th and 21st). We will have a one-hour block of time available for volunteers who are interested to come and try on the costume, walk around in it, ask any questions they see fit, get any additional information they may need. We will be initially opening up this team to less than 20 students, but may be limiting this team of volunteers as we move forward. Opportunities/needs will be sent directly to this team and will be marked private, so no one who hasn’t “tried out” can participate.
If you have any questions at all about becoming a volunteer mascot and/or handler, please contact Jamie Glahn (james.glahn@uc.edu) via email and ask your question(s).
Thank you for reviewing this need/opportunity and we look forward to seeing all of you.
