T.J. Oshie Talks Oshie O’s, March Of Dimes

St. Louis Blues Forward T.J. Oshie stood between two cereal box pillars before a group of fans at a Des Peres, Missouri Dierbergs Market on Tuesday, January 28.  He had just finished talking about his new honey nut toasted oat cereal, Oshie O’s, and how a portion of the proceeds would go to the St. Louis chapter of the March of Dimes children’s charity.  Oshie asked the crowd if anyone had questions.  The first came from a young girl in the front row.  “Do you want to win the Super Bowl?”

When we found out we could put the March of Dimes on the box we went with it right away.

Oshie answered her question (read on) and many more from the young fans in attendance as he signed their boxes of Oshie O’s and took pictures.  And that’s what T.J. Oshie, Oshie O’s and the March of Dimes are all about; ensuring not just the happiness but also the healthiness of our youngest generation.

A Cereal And A Goal

As Oshie met with the fans, PLB Sports Representative Doug Ritchart told me that Oshie came to PLB with a plan to use Oshie O’s as a way to raise funds and create awareness for the good work that is being done by the March of Dimes.  PLB Sports specializes in combining athletes and their charities with high-quality food products.  They have helped athletes such as Doug Flutie, Kurt Warner, Justin Verlander, Nicklas Lidstrom and most recently Jonathan Quick and his Quick Crunch cereal.

But how do they taste?

“I think they taste pretty good,” Oshie said about the cereal.  “They’re now a part of my pre-game routine.”

The March of Dimes believes that Oshie O’s should be a part of expectant mothers’ pre-game routines as well. It is fortified with the B vitamin folic acid which March of Dimes has highlighted as important to prenatal development.

According to a statement made Susan Bushness, State Director of the March of Dimes Missouri Chapter, “Fortifying grain foods with folic acid saves about 1,300 babies every year from from being born with serious birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (NTDs).” Luckily, Oshie O’s are pretty tasty.

Why March Of Dimes?

Oshie understands the stress of having a child born with a birth defect.  His daughter, Lyla Oshie, spent “what seemed like three long weeks” in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) due to surgery she had shortly after birth to correct a condition known as gastroschisis. Gastroschisis is when an infant is born with their intestines outside of their body, which can be corrected by a simple surgery. Oshie spoke with ESPN reporter Scott Burnside about the specifics in this article.

At the press conference Oshie said that the March of Dimes is very close to his and his family’s heart because they help babies like young Lyla as well as those that are kept in the NICU much longer.  “When we found out we could put the March of Dimes on the box we went with it right away.”

March of Dimes has worked for 75 years to support research, education, vaccines and breakthroughs that improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.  They’ve awarded $3 million in Missouri and $5 million in Illinois for research and programs that help moms have full-term pregnancies and healthy babies and hold March of Babies events around the country.

For The Fans

By 4:15 in the afternoon, fifteen minutes after the event was supposed to be over, Oshie met with the final groups of fans.  The Oshie O pillars were gone.  All signed and purchased.  The ladies from the March of Dimes, Ritchart and the Dierbergs representatives wore big smiles.  “That went very well,” one of them said.

Later in the afternoon the fans and media proved them right as they went to Twitter to share the experience:

Her point of view:

Another young fan:

And earlier this month Oshie took to social media to stand behind his product:

Maybe there’s something to it.  Oshie’s stats have skyrocketed following the release of Oshie O’s.

How Can You Help?

If you live in St. Louis you can celebrate.  Oshie O’s are available at Dierbergs Markets around the city.  And isn’t like buying your typical fund-raiser product.  You aren’t going to spend fifteen dollars and the cereal does not come in a tiny hotel-breakfast box.  My two boxes cost $3.49 a piece and they’re 14 ounces: standard cereal price in standard cereal size.  That’s a win for both you and the March of Dimes.

Alternatively, Straub Markets announced they have Oshie O’s available as well.

For those outside of St. Louis you can head over to the Oshie O’s website where you can pick up a two pack for a modest price.

Without thinking I had both of my boxes signed so I refuse to open them.  I’ll be making another trip to Dierbergs soon to pick up a few more.  In the meantime Bleedin’ Blue Editor, Kate, put Oshie O’s to the test.  You can read her observations here.

Also, be sure to come back to this article.  The excellent people at the March of Dimes put together an amazing information packet which includes two recipes to increase folic acid intake.  I’m going share those recipes with everyone over at FoodSided and will include a link here.

Do You Want To Win The Super Bowl?

“Do I want to win the Super Bowl?”  Oshie laughed.

“I am originally from Everett Washington which is about 20 miles away from of Seattle,” he said, “I know Rams fans aren’t big fans of Seattle, but they’re my hometown team so I gotta jump on the bandwagon for them.”

It’s okay, Oshie.  We understand supporting your hometown team, its players and their causes.  #WeBleedBlue

LINKS:

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