Thank you, Guardians! A look back on 2017...

Guardians, First and foremost, I want to say thank you from not just me, but all the Directors and Officers for making 2017 one of our strongest years yet. A year ago, today, FC Dallas raised the Supporters Shield in Los Angeles -- it is bittersweet to be writing our end of season thank you's on this day. However, no matter how 2017 ended, you gave all of your heart, soul, sweat, and voice to our Boys in Red! No matter the outcome on the field, you stood behind them to let them know we would never give up. That is what being a Guardian is about -- devotion to the team. So, thank you. Thank you for the minutes put in painting tifo, drumming, chanting, tailgating, community service, away watch parties, and any other way you helped support our group and the team this year. Here is a quick look back on everything from 2017: - Increased Full 90 Membership to 217 with total membership hitting over 1000 - Created our first member jersey - Started group ticketing the Garden - Opened up all away game ticketing for 2017 - Organized 20 away game watch parties at BBC and Peticolas - Officially started our partnership with the Denton G.O.A.L Program - Participated in MLS' Beyond the Stands video and helped highlight the G.O.A.L. Program - Raised $778 plus the Wells' Fargo $1000 contribution for the G.O.A.L. Program - all of which is going toward equipment for the program - Contributed over 308 man hours to the Denton G.O.A.L. GOAL Cup through our Day of Giving Back. - Raised $2407 in monetary donations which went to school supplies, gave $1800 worth of supplies, and helped with $372 in relief t-shirt sales all for Hurricane Harvey relief through our Enemies for 90, Texans for Life campaign - Continued our annual Pride Game and Pride Scarves with over $250 from sales going to the Dallas Resource Center - Continued DBG Snapchat filters for use during games including putting one over our section and the Houston supporters section during our away match in Houston - Secured the pulley system in the Garden for tifo and produced two of our largest tifos yet and our first full Garden display - Ensured the safe hand-off of Brimstone Cup to fellow Independent Supporters Council members, Section 8, showcasing positive supporter relations - Ensured the safe hand-off of Supporters Shield to fellow Independent Supporters Council members, Red Patch Boys and Kings in the North, showcasing positive supporter relations and getting recognition from the Toronto F.C. front office for the personal delivery - DBG was profiled by an international publication and on various podcasts and blogs - Continued the high standard tailgates ...and we aren't done yet! Although the season may be over, we are still going strong and will have events for you in the off-season. Be on the look out for directors elections and officer elections in the next week - we will e-mail and post information for the location and how to apply for open positions. On November 4, we will head back out to Denton for another day volunteering with G.O.A.L. This is not including all of the work that will happen preparing for the 2018 season. I know that your passion for FC Dallas is still burning. Keep it kindling for the 2018 season to make it bigger and better than ever. Sincerely, Bailey Brown DBG President