Turn Game Day into a Winning Cause with Tailgate for a Purpose

Fall is more than just a season of changing leaves and cozy celebrations—it’s prime time for football fans and festive gatherings. Whether you’re cheering from the sidelines or setting up the perfect tailgate, it’s the season to rally for more than just your favorite team. Tailgate for a Purpose is your chance to combine the thrill of game day with a meaningful cause. It’s time to turn your love for football into a celebration of giving back—where every touchdown counts for something bigger than the scoreboard. Make this fall about passion, purpose, and philanthropy, all wrapped into one unforgettable tailgate experience. 

2024’s Tailgates: Going to the Gulf Coast 

This year, Beth and David Scott, Ambassadors of Tailgate for a Purpose, are hosting Taylor’s Tailgate 2024, in memory of their daughter. The tailgate will take place on Saturday, November 9, 2024, when the University of Mississippi Rebels host the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Though the game takes place in Mississippi, the tailgate itself will take place in Marietta, GA, three hours before kickoff—the time will be revealed a few weeks closer to the game. The Scotts stated on their tailgate webpage that they were inspired by the doctors and nurses who dedicate their lives to helping others on their cancer journeys.  

Their advocacy has also inspired others to join the cause of tailgating to raising funds for cancer immunotherapy research. United Rentals, Inc is working in conjunction with the Scott Foundation and Taylor’s Tailgate to host Taylor’s Tailgate–2024 LSU Edition. This tailgate event will take place on Saturday, November 30, when the Louisiana State University Tigers host the University of Oklahoma Sooners in Baton Rouge, LA. 

Create Your Own Tailgate 

CRI invites you to host your own Tailgate for a Purpose—all you need is a venue, your team’s favorite jersey, and a few friends to contribute to this year’s fundraising efforts. If you would like to become a part of #TeamCRI and our tailgating community, please contact Shasell Negron, associate director, community fundraising. 

“Tailgate for a Purpose is a fundraising campaign where people can host tailgates for sporting events or otherwise contribute to cancer immunotherapy research,” Shasell Negron said. “What is great about this type of fundraising is that our community can have fun and engage in comradery while working towards our mission to create a world immune to cancer.” 

Hosting your own tailgate can have a massive impact on cancer immunotherapy research. Whether it’s work colleagues, college friends, or anyone else in your community, you can all be part of #TeamCRI. Attendees can follow your example and contribute to the life-saving cause of funding cancer immunotherapy research all while enjoying grilled burgers and a game of corn-hole. The Scotts told CRI in August 2023 that the ultimate goal is to raise money for immunotherapy research, and people can host a tailgate for any event—not just football. 

“It could be your kid’s soccer game, it could be anything,” Beth Scott told CRI in 2023. “It is really about bringing people together and sharing good times and fellowship in raising money for a good cause,” David Scott added. 

How Tailgate for a Purpose Began 

This grassroots campaign began in 2019 after the Scotts lost their daughter to metastatic adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that occurs in glands that line the body’s organs. Following their loss, the Scotts decided to make an impact in the fight against cancer by doing something she loved dearly: tailgating.  

“During our cancer journey, our daughter was very focused on helping other people. After she passed, we wanted to keep that going,” David Scott said. “The cutting-edge research that CRI is funding using our own immune systems was really attractive.” 

The Scotts have successfully raised over $300,000 in the past three years during the annual college football game between the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Florida Gators. This rivalry game is known in college football circles as ‘The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party,’ and the University of Georgia has dominated the festive contest every year since 2021.  

Thank you for your interest in fundraising that bolsters CRI-funded scientists’ immunotherapy research, and for helping us create a world immune to cancer.