Archives for June 2011

‘Riders Classic Raises Over $23,000 for RoughRiders Foundation

The RoughRiders Foundation hosted the third annual ‘Riders Classic presented by Tye Williams Financial Services, Smashburger and DC Rightside, LLC on Tuesday, June 7th, 2011 at The Golf Club at Frisco Lakes in Frisco, TX. The golf tournament raised over $23,000 for the RoughRiders Foundation through sponsorships, registrations, a silent auction and raffle and mulligan sales.

Boxed lunches were donated by Chick-fil-A at Preston Road and Highway 121, and dinner was donated and catered by Chuy’s on the Tollway.

27 foursomes competed in the ‘Riders Classic; 12 of which included RoughRiders pitchers Justin Miller, Richard Bleier, Jake Brigham, Ben Snyder, Corey Young, and Tyler Tufts. Other RoughRiders who participated were infielders Davis Stoneburner and Tom Mendonca, as well as pitching coach, Jeff Andrews.

“The RoughRiders are extremely thankful to have such fantastic charitable support from our players, sponsors, suite holders and season ticket holders,” commented Michael Davidow, Director of the RoughRiders Foundation. “By sponsoring this tournament and registering to golf, we raised a significant amount of money for our foundation partners and community programs.”

In 2011, the RoughRiders Foundation has partnered with Frisco Family Services, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County and the Miracle League of Frisco. The money raised from the 2011 ‘Riders Classic will help fund these partners as well as the RoughRiders Foundation’s scholarship and grant donation programs.

United Healthcare’s foursome pauses for a quick picture. Photos by Falcon Photography

RiverDogs Team Up with Area Youngsters for HealthyPlay! Wiffle Ball League

Heathcott and Murphy instruct PlayToday! Foundation kids

Charleston-RiverDogsWhether they make it to high school ball or the Major Leagues, everyone has memories of playing wiffle ball in the street or backyard. Members of the HealthyPlay! Wiffle Ball League had the privilege of learning some wiffle ball skills and tricks from future New York Yankees on Saturday, June 11.

Charleston RiverDogs center fielder Slade Heathcott, and catcher J.R. Murphy, tutored the youngsters in a two-hour session at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park Saturday morning.

The HealthyPlay! Wiffle Ball League (HWBL) is presented by the PlayToday! Foundation, in partnership with the City of Charleston Parks and Recreation Commission and the Charleston Miracle League. The goal of the HWBL is to provide 8-12 year old children from underprivileged backgrounds a chance to participate in an organized sports league over the summer.

PlayToday-logo“We are happy to team with the HWBL and the PlayToday! Foundation,” said RiverDogs General Manager Dave Echols. “Part of our ‘Be Your Own Fan’ philosophy is affording each and every child a chance to grow up with the game of baseball. This is a great step in that direction, and we’re pleased our players feel the same way.”

Following the instruction, all participants capped off a memorable morning with a game, supervised by the RiverDogs’ two newly minted SAL All-Stars.

In addition to the lessons learned from being part of a team, the HWBL is designed to boost children’s self-esteem, and encourage exercise and overall physical fitness through nutritional guidance. Throughout the season, prominent members of the Charleston community will take time to address the children and answer questions about what it takes to succeed in today’s world.

CSC-Wiffle Ball DSCN1172

M-Braves Visit Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital

The Mississippi Braves visited to the Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital on June 10th.  The team arrived to offer support and bring hope and happiness to children struck by injury and illness.

The Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital has treated over 150,000 children from over 82 counties in Mississippi last year. The hospital strives in treating every youngster who is in need and has never turned anyone way. The institution strives to be the best with its cutting edge equipment and state-of-the-art facilities, however, more is always needed.

During the M-Braves visit, players from all over the world visited with the kids,  signed autographs, and provided cheer to all those in need.

If you would like to donate to the Blair E. Batson Hospital, please visit childrenshospital.umc.edu/donate.html or to mail a contribution, please make it payable to Blair E. Batson Hospital for Children and send to the address below:

The Division of Public Affairs
University of Mississippi Medical Center
2500 North State Street
Jackson, MS 39216

Willie Cabrera and Jordan Kreke playing Elefun with the children at Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital. (Photo courtesy of M-Braves)

Indianapolis Indians Lend a Helping Glove

The Indianapolis Indians are giving away $10,000 in celebration of 125 consecutive years of professional baseball in Indianapolis. The program entitled “Lend a Helping Glove” has five local charities competing for a $10,000 grand prize.

Given a blank slate on a 5 foot fiberglass baseball glove, charities were asked to decorate their glove and put it on display in Indianapolis. Through a text vote, online vote and a celebrity panel vote, a winner will be decided. Voting began on June 3rd and ends at 11:59 PM EDT on August 19th. The winner will be announced at the Indians game on Friday, September 2nd versus Louisville.

Participating charities include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, Boys Scouts of America, CICOA, Indy Reads and the Salvation Army Indiana.

For more information on the program, visit www.lendahelpingglove.com.

Glove for the Salvation Army of Indiana.
Glove for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Indianapolis.
Glove for CICOA.

Groups raise over $66,000 with Naturals

55 schools and local organizations have participated

Seat your group all together and raise money at a Naturals game.
Seat your group all together and raise money at a Naturals game.

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Naturals, through ticket fundraising programs, have helped local groups raise over $66,000 during the first two months of the baseball season.

Through the first 23 home games of the 2011 Naturals baseball season, 55 local groups comprised of school groups, church groups, and other local organizations have raised $66,462 by coming out to Naturals games and selling tickets for the same game to friends and family members.

Several of these groups have also partaken in activities on the field such as playing the National Anthem, tours of the ballpark, and playing pre-game performances.

The average ticket fundraiser group has raised $1208 with the Naturals this season. 45 of the 55 participating groups raised at least $800 dollars (by selling 200 or more tickets). The total money raised through these programs is already $7,000 more than the money raised all of last season, including playoffs.

“At our core we are a service organization, and we want to help our entire community be successful,” said Eric Edelstein, Naturals General Manager. “The dollars raised has far exceeded our expectations, and we can’t wait to see these numbers grow through the remainder of our season.”

The Naturals currently have availability to help groups raise money all summer long on Sunday through Thursday home games following the July 4th holiday weekend. For more information about fundraiser groups as well as other group offerings, visit nwanaturals.com or call 479-927-4900.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Click here to view the original story.

Joplin relief efforts total over $6,500

Club has held jersey, memorabilia auctions during homestand

Naturals' catcher Ryan Eigsti helps serve up a meal in Jolin on Monday, June 6th. (Fran Johnson)
Naturals’ catcher Ryan Eigsti helps serve up a meal in Jolin on Monday, June 6th. (Fran Johnson)

SPRINGDALE, AR – The Northwest Arkansas Naturals visited the tornado stricken city of Joplin, Missouri on Monday on the heels of a six-game homestand that saw the Naturals collect $6,659.66 in donations and nearly $7,000 total in cash and items to contribute to the relief effort.

The donations will be made to the Red Cross of Northwest Arkansas and highlighted during the game during a short check presentation on the field.

Catcher Ryan Eigsti along with left-handed pitcher Buddy Baumann, General Manager Eric Edelstein, and the Naturals’ mascot Strike visited Joplin earlier Monday to assist in serving a lunch to tornado victims and volunteers helping with the relief efforts.

During the first five games of the Naturals’ current six-game homestand, the club has held a jersey auction, sports memorabilia auction, nightly post-game launch-a-ball, and optional donations at Red Dirt Outfitters. The club also extended an offer for free tickets for Joplin residents during this homestand.

In addition, the Naturals’ parent club, the Kansas City Royals, via its Royals Charities non-profit arm made a $25,000 donation to Heart to Heart International for its relief efforts in the city of Joplin. In addition, Royals fans generously contributed more than $18,000 during an in-stadium collection held earlier this homestand that will benefit the American Red Cross relief efforts.

The Northwest Arkansas Naturals are the Double-A Texas League affiliate of the Kansas City Royals and play at state-of-the-art Arvest Ballpark, located in Springdale. Visit our website, nwanaturals.com, for information on season tickets and ticket plans.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Click here to view the original story.

Mississippi Braves and Bass Pro Shops Flood Relief Efforts

The Mississippi Braves along with Bass Pro Shops, Tracker Marine, and Uncle Bucks Grills have joined forces to aid the victims of the Mississippi River Floods.

On Monday, May 30, 2011, The Braves and Bass Pro Shops presented a $5,000 check to The Salvation Army to help jump start the relief effort. Furthermore, prominent members of the community such as Minor League Baseball President Pat O’Conner, Vice President of Business Development for MiLB Tina Gust, and Pearl Mayor Brad Rogers came to show their support and encouragement during this tragic time. The Salvation Army’s Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/Corps Officer Captain Ken Chapman, U.S. Congressman Gregg Harper, Lt. Governor Phil Bryant, MS State Representative Ray Rogers, and MS State Senator Dean Kirby also attended the pre-game ceremony.

The Braves further aided the cause by donating 100% of the revenue generated by a special silent auction during the game. The silent auction featured various items for fans to bid on, such as autographed baseballs, bats, photos, and jerseys of various Braves players.

As a further way of providing assistance, the M-Braves encouraged fans to donate items such as clothing, shoes, water, non-perishable food items, and personal hygiene items to The Salvation Army. The Braves did so by providing fans who donated items to the cause a 50 percent discount on field seat tickets. Plus, the first 500 fans that donated items to the relief effort received their choice of a free Jason Heyward, Freddie Freeman, Brian McCann or Jeff Francoeur 8 x 10 color photo.

The Braves are still encouraging fans to continue to donate items for the relief effort, and drop them off at Trustmark Park throughout the year.

Check presentation to The Salvation Army. (From left to Right: General Manager of Bass Pro Shops Patrick Renegar, Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/Corps Officer Captain Ken Chapman, and General Manager of the Mississippi Braves Steve DeSalvo
General Manager Steve DeSalvo helping load the donated items onto the Salvation Army Truck.

Tour de Habitat

OremOwlz_2011-06-02

The Orem Owlz and Habitat for Humanity of Utah County will be teaming up on Saturday, June 11 at 6:30 p.m. for the Third Annual Tour de Habitat, Lakes to Peaks Bicycle Ride. Owlz mascots Hootz and Holly will be the guests of honor to kick off the Family Ride which will be part of the pre-parade activity for the Orem Summerfest. Those participating in the Family Ride will receive reserved seating for parade viewing later that evening, an event t-shirt, and Owlz 2011 game tickets. For more details and to register please visit www.habitatuc.org/events/tour-de-habitat.html.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Orem Owlz. Click here to view the original story.

TinCaps launch walking program

Ballpark concourse open to public

"Conquer the Concourse" invites walkers to keep track of their progress. (Brad Hand)
“Conquer the Concourse” invites walkers to keep track of their progress. (Brad Hand)

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – The Fort Wayne TinCaps have partnered with Majic 95.1 to encourage downtown workers and visitors to “Conquer the Concourse” at Parkview Field this summer. In conjunction with the opening of the ballpark’s Field of Greens cart for summer lunches, the TinCaps and Majic 95.1 are encouraging those visiting the ballpark to join in the challenge to see how many laps they walk between Memorial Day and Labor Day.Walkers and runners are encouraged to stop by the Field of Greens cart between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. to fill out a “Conquer the Concourse” registration form. Throughout the summer the number of laps walked during each visit to Parkview Field can be recorded on their registration form which will be available each weekday at the Field of Greens cart (11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Those walking at other times of the day are encouraged to keep track of their laps and periodically update their lap totals throughout the summer.

“We’re excited to partner with Majic to bring attention to the availability of Parkview Field as a walking and running option downtown,” TinCaps Vice President of Marketing Michael Limmer said. “The concourse measures exactly one third of a mile, so it’s easy to be able to figure out the distance you’ve covered. We will have upwards of two hundred people walking or running throughout the day. It’s great to have that kind of energy in the ballpark and that level of usage. It’s what we envisioned an ‘open to the public’ ballpark being able to bring to downtown Fort Wayne beyond just baseball.”

“Several of us at the radio station were already taking advantage of the ballpark during lunch time to run,” said Barb Richards of Majic 95.1. “We got together with the folks at Parkview Field and figured out a way to create a bit of an incentive to get people moving during the summer. It’s a great venue, why not encourage people downtown to enjoy it?”

Throughout the summer Majic 95.1 will acknowledge random participants with prizes. There is no cost to be a part of the program and there is no prize for whoever walks the most laps. “Exercise is it’s own reward,” Limmer said with a smile. “We’re trying to encourage people to be healthy and to be aware that Parkview Field can be a resource to exercise in a safe, controlled environment. The fact we’re able to throw in a few incentives from time to time is a bonus to those that conquer the concourse.”

The Field of Greens cart, open 11:00am to 1:00pm, Memorial Day through Labor Day, has health-conscious menu items including salads, wraps, and sandwiches as well as chips and drink options.
This article originally appeared on the official website of the Fort Wayne TinCaps. Click here to view the original story.

Mississippi Braves Partner with the Salvation Army for Southeastern Tornado Relief Efforts

The Mississippi Braves in conjunction with the Atlanta Braves, Gwinnett and Rome Braves, 680 the Fan and Rock 100.5, corporate partners, and The Salvation Army have joined forces to raise money, awareness, and support for the Southeastern tornado relief efforts. The Mississippi Braves parent club began the effort Monday, May 2, by donating $100,000 to The Salvation Army.

As Atlanta’s AA team in the heart of Mississippi, the M-Braves will be a central location in the Jackson Metro Area for a drive to collect the most needed items for the victims of the devastating tornados.

“The tragic impact these tornados have had on the entire Southeast Region have greatly impacted all of our lives and the community in which we live,” said M-Braves General Manager, Steve DeSalvo. “As a member of this great community, it is important that we work together to rebuild what was lost which is why the M-Braves wish to help in any way we can.”

In response to this announcement, Ken Chapman, Jackson, MS Area Coordinator/ Corps Officer, remarked, “The Salvation Army has always regarded the Braves as wonderful corporate citizens and we are grateful for their caring hearts to serve those in need during this time of devastation.”

Currently, The Salvation Army Emergency Disaster Teams have been deployed and are in the process of helping the thousands of people in need. In addition, The Salvation Army is asking for various donations which will be distributed across the six states devastated by these brutal storms including Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Below is a list of the various items most needed:

· Household items (Laundry detergent, bleach, towels, bed sheets, blankets)
· Toiletries (Toothpaste, mouthwash, body soap, deodorant, lotion, feminine hygiene products, hand sanitizer, razors, toilet paper)
· Paper kitchen products (Disposable dishes, utensils, cups, paper towels
· Baby Products (Diapers, formula, baby powder)
· Cleaning supplies (Mops, brooms, Lysol, trash bags)
· Flashlights
· First-aid kits
· Non-perishable food items (Canned/packaged food, bottled water, sports drinks)
· School supplies (paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, lunch boxes, book bags, folders, etc.)