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CHARLESTON, SC – In part thanks to the Charleston RiverDogs’ support of the local military, the Charleston Region was among the honorees recognized as “Great American Defense Communities” by the Association of Defense Communities (ADC).
The RiverDogs were cited among the many reasons for Charleston’s recognition of the honor with the support provided by the club to military families and their loved ones helping Charleston to be tabbed as one of the eight communities included in the 2017 class. Joining Charleston were the following seven communities:
· The Alamo – San Antonio Region, TX
· Christian County, KY
· The Fort Hood – Central Texas Region
· Hampton Roads, VA
· Maricopa County, AZ
· Sierra Vista, AZ
· The Governments of Southeastern Connecticut
“All eight in the 2017 class of honorees truly embody the ideals this initiative was designed to celebrate – making host communities for our nation’s military installations ‘Great Places to Call Home,'” said ADC President Mike Cooper.
“We are honored to be recognized for our efforts as the Charleston community receives this important distinction,” said RiverDogs President and General Manager Dave Echols. “The Charleston community has always done an excellent job of supporting local military and their loved ones and the RiverDogs are proud to be a part of this tradition.”
Over the next six months, each community will host a local event recognizing its selection and celebrating the hard work and creativity of the individuals and organizations making their communities great places for service members and their families to live. These events will culminate in a special reception and a congressional breakfast during the Defense Communities
National Summit in Washington, DC, June 19-21, 2017.
In 2016, the RiverDogs continued to go beyond paying their respects to the Lowcountry’s strong military family and were recognized with Minor League Baseball’s inaugural Charles K. Murphy Patriot Award for their outstanding support of military members.
In addition to hosting several Military Appreciation Nights, the RiverDogs honored a Military Family of the Game with the featured veteran at each home game receiving complimentary tickets, food, and merchandise along with an in-game recognition of their service.
Additionally in 2016, the RiverDogs strengthened their ties with the local military community through the hiring of Alfonso Rogers, a recent sport management graduate of The Citadel and current member of the Air Force Reserves. The club also hired five retired military veterans to their gameday cleanup crew.
The Great American Defense Communities program, developed in conjunction with the House
and Senate Defense Communities Caucuses was designed to highlight the unique contributions of cities, counties and regions that host installations make to improve quality of life for service members, veterans and their families. This 2017 class of communities was selected by a panel of defense community advocates and experts from dozens of nominees based on the broad range of efforts each area carries out on behalf of military personnel and their families, considering factors such as education, job opportunities, housing, family support during deployments and community appreciation. This year’s program is made possible through generous support from USAA and the National Math + Science Initiative.
ADC is a national nonprofit organization that is the connection point for leaders from communities, states, the military and industry on community-military issues and installation management to enhance knowledge, information sharing and best practices. With nearly 300 communities, states, regions and affiliated industry organizations, ADC represents every major defense community/state in the nation.
RiverDogs season tickets, half-season ticket packages and mini plans are now available for the 2017 campaign. The RiverDogs, the Class-A affiliate of the 27-time world champion New York Yankees, begin the season on April 6 when they host the Lexington Legends at Joseph P Riley, Jr. Park. Single-game tickets and the full promotional schedule will become available in March. Ticket information can be secured by contacting the box office at (843) 577-DOGS (3647) or online at www.riverdogs.com.
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