The National Sports Collectors Convention is the biggest week of the year for trading cards, but beyond the massive showcases and record-breaking sales, the true heartbeat of this event is the community. This year at Booth #2816, COMC had the honor of witnessing that community spirit in action with a very special guest: 14-year-old hobby visionary Blake Grice.
The Vision Behind The B.L.A.K.E. Project
For the past five years, in addition to being the social media force behind the popular hobby channel @the_blakedown, Blake has dedicated his time to running The B.L.A.K.E. Project, a charitable organization with a powerful mission. Blake works tirelessly to support children of veterans and first responders who are battling PTSD, as well as kids facing other hardships and disabilities. He uses the trading card hobby to spread joy, raise funds, and bring a sense of community to those who need it most.
Hobby Talk with a Visionary
At The National, Co-Founder & Chief Product Officer Tim Getsch sat down with Blake for a live Hobby Talk at the COMC booth. Even while keeping busy with all his incredible philanthropic work, Blake remains a passionate card collector at heart. He shared that, while he loves the thrill of ripping packs, he uses COMC to hunt for specific, more expensive cards to complete his collections, especially when he is chasing hockey cards and his favorite prospect, Macklin Celebrini. Tim commended Blake for his dedication and for helping welcome a brand-new generation into the hobby in such an accessible, positive way through his social media posts and show appearances.
A $10,000 Gift from the COMC Community
At COMC, we are continually blown away by the generosity of our users. Because of the thousands of COMC customers who generously choose to donate their cards to charity through our platform, we were able to do something truly special at The National
On the show floor, Tim and COMC Co-Founder/CEO Julia Agostine had the privilege of presenting a $10,000 check to Blake to help fund the incredible initiatives at The B.L.A.K.E. Project!
How You Can Help
Blake’s mission is proof that the trading card hobby is so much more than cardboard—it is about connection and giving back. Blake is always looking for volunteers and donations to keep this amazing initiative going. We highly encourage the COMC community to visit theblakeproject.org to learn more and get involved!
Follow Blake on Instagram (@the_blakedown and @theblakeproject)
Yet Another Special Guest
During Blake’s time at the COMC booth, another special guest wanted to get in on the action. Bart Robot, America’s First Sports Robot, stopped by to say hello and check out the scene.
Follow us on social media @checkoutmycards and the COMC Blog for the latest updates!
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