Archives for October 2014

C’s and Safeway bring holiday cheer to The Salvation Army

October 9, 2014

Members of the C's front office staff join Safeway Canada and Salvation Army staff to celebrate another Canadians Thanksgiving in Downtown Vancouver. — Members of the C’s front office staff join Safeway Canada and Salvation Army staff to celebrate another Canadians Thanksgiving in Downtown Vancouver.

The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club in cooperation with Safeway Canada handed out 100 family-sized turkeys on Thursday afternoon to local families in need at The Salvation Army located at 3221 Fraser Street.

The Canadians and Safeway Canada have taken pride in working together for the past seven years to continue this community initiative that brings families from all across Vancouver together with a family-sized centerpiece in tie for the holiday weekend.

“We are fortunate to have a partner like Safeway Canada who generously donates these family-sized turkeys to families in need. Through the efforts of The Salvation Army, we are able to reach those families from all across Vancouver who would benefit most from this kind of effort,” states Vancouver Canadians Director, Community Relations Jeff Holloway.

Since its inception in 2008, the Canadians along with Safeway Canada have donated more than 800 turkeys along with basting trays and cooking instructions to families from all across Vancouver.

The Vancouver Canadians Baseball Club wishes to thank both Safeway Canada and The Salvation Army for making another ‘Canadians Thanksgiving’ possible and wish everyone a festive holiday weekend.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Vancouver Canadians. Click here to view the original story.

Legends invite schools to ‘Hit the Books’

October 8, 2014

Schools who participate in the Hit the Books program can arrange a guest reader appearance by the Legends' Big L. — Schools who participate in the Hit the Books program can arrange a guest reader appearance by the Legends’ Big L.

It’s time for elementary schools to “Hit the Books” with the Lexington Legends.

Teachers, librarians, media specialists and other educators are encouraged to register with the Legends to get their elementary schools involved in the Hit the Books reading program for the 2014-15 school year.

In Hit the Books, a baseball diamond is used to record credit for a student’s reading. For every book a student reads, a teacher places his or her initials on a base. Kindergarten students may participate by having their teachers read four books to them.

When the student has all three bases and home plate initialed by the teacher, the student may bring a Hit the Books bookmark to the Legends’ box office at Whitaker Bank Ballpark to exchange it for two tickets to a Legends home game designated for their school.

The school with the highest bookmark redemption (based on percentage of enrollment, minimum 50 students) will receive a school-wide reward from the “Hit the Books” sponsor.

To begin the process, educators must register with the Legends by November 14 to ensure their school’s participation. Registration information is available at www.lexingtonlegends.com.

“Hit the Books is one of the Legends’ favorite community programs,” said Sarah Bosso, the Legends’ director of community relations and special events. “Encouraging the students of central Kentucky to read and show off their artistic creativity through the bookmark design contest is very rewarding. Big L loves visiting all the participating schools, and we hope there will be more for this year’s program than ever before.”

In addition, the annual bookmark design contest is under way and will run through December 12. The winning student will have his or her artwork featured on the official 2015 Hit the Books bookmark and poster that are distributed to every student participating in the reading program, which runs through March 31, 2015. About 23,000 students participated during the 2013-14 school year.

Schedule a visit by Big L

The Lexington Legends and Big L would like to visit any participating school and serve as a guest reader for any class or scheduled Media Center time to encourage students to complete the Hit the Books program and redeem their bookmarks for Legends game tickets. For more information, contact Sarah Bosso at (859) 422-7855.

The 2015 season will be the 15th for Legends baseball and also marks the 15th year that the Legends have been associated with Hit the Books. About 195,000 students have participated.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Lexington Legends. Click here to view the original story.

Blue Rocks honored with Minker Award

October 8, 2014

Community service award is named after Wilmington team’s founder

The Wilmington Blue Rocks were honored by the Carolina League on Wednesday with the Matt Minker Community Service Award, which goes to the club that best demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support, and leadership within its community. The award is named after the Blue Rocks’ founder, who owned the club until his death in 2007. Minker, whose construction company also built Frawley Stadium, is still the team’s honorary president. It is the first year the title has been awarded to an entire organization, after going to individual players since its inception in 2009.

“Matt Minker was instrumental in laying the foundation for the Blue Rocks and for the franchise’s success in the years to follow,” said Blue Rocks general manager Chris Kemple. “It is fitting and appropriate that this honor bears his name and we are absolutely privileged to be the first organizational recipient.”

The Blue Rocks won the award thanks in large part to their numerous school programs, charitable endeavors and hospital visits.

As an organization the Blue Rocks work with area schools to promote academic achievement (Rocky’s Reading Challenge), citizenship (Outstanding Student Program), and active lifestyles (Titus Sports Champions Physical Health Program). The team helped raise tens of thousands of dollars for good causes through partnerships with Habitat For Humanity, Boys & Girls Clubs of DE, Fight for the Gold, Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition and many other charities in 2014. It also contributed school supplies to the Red Clay School Consolidated School District during the Remax Stuff the Bus Campaign and donated thousands of tickets to other worthy community programs. Several times each season the team also visited the Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital For Children, brightening the spirits of that facility’s patients and their families.

“We could not accomplish much of what we do without the partnership and cooperation of our players and the Kansas City Royals organization,” said Blue Rocks director of community affairs Kevin P. Linton. “Their commitment to community fits perfectly with the vision that Matt Minker set forth for the Blue Rocks franchise and that we continue to follow to this day.”

Community service is so engrained within the organization that three of the five times the award was presented to individual players it went to Blue Rocks. Everett Teaford was the inaugural winner in 2009 and was followed by Tim Melville in 2011 and Whit Merrifield in 2012.

As the Carolina League’s recipient of the Matt Minker Award, the Blue Rocks received the eight-team league’s automatic nomination for the John Henry Moss Community Service Award, given out by Minor League Baseball at its annual national convention, to be held this December in San Diego.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Wilmington Blue Rocks. Click here to view the original story.

Inaugural FUNNER-Ween to Spook Bowling Green Ballpark on October 26

October 7, 2014

Free Halloween Event Includes Candy, Contests, Games, and More

With temperatures taking a dip and leaves changing color, Halloween is officially approaching us. The Bowling Green Hot Rods will celebrate the spookiest of holidays by holding FUNNER-Ween at Bowling Green Ballpark on Sunday, October 26. The free event will run from 2-4 p.m., and it will include candy, games, costume contests, and more.

“Halloween is a great way for us to stay involved with the community,” said Hot Rods Assistant General Manager Ben Hemmen. “Our staff has done a great job staying active through numerous off-season appearances, but we’re excited to be bringing this free event to the ballpark. It will be a fantastic get-together for all of South-Central Kentucky.”

FUNNER-Ween will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 26, and the free event will run through 4 p.m. Families are encouraged to dress in their Halloween attire, as there will be costume contests for all people of all ages. Don’t forget your furry friend either, dogs are welcome and there will be a separate contest for pooches. Candy will be handed out to kids in a “trick by seat” format. Season ticket holders are encouraged to enjoy the event from their seat and hand out candy to the youngsters.

Pumpkin stencils will be handed out to guests upon entry, and merchandise specials will be available all afternoon. Kids will be able participate in a zombie walk on the field, a candy security checkpoint will be available for safe eating, and Axle’s candy bag dash will give kids the opportunity to win even more candy. The Bowling Green Ballpark concourse will also be filled with more games, a prize wheel, and face painters/balloon artists. Things may get a bit messy when the Halloween cupcake eating contest takes place.

The Hot Rods welcome any community organizations and businesses who would like to hand out candy at the event. To get involved, those interested are encouraged to contact Ben Hemmen directly at 270-495-6017, or by email via ben@bghotrods.com.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Bowling Green Hot Rods. Click here to view the original story.

Squirrels Nominated For John Henry Moss Community Service Award

October 7, 2014

Richmond Tabbed by Eastern League for Award in 5th Season

The Richmond Flying Squirrels, Double-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants, are pleased to announce that the organization has been nominated by the Eastern League of Professional Baseball Clubs for the 2014 John Henry Moss Community Service Award. The league nominates just one team for the award, presented annually by Minor League Baseball.

The John Henry Moss Community Service Award is bestowed upon a club that demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support and leadership within their local community and within the baseball industry.

Community impact has been a foundational focal point for the Squirrels since their inception in 2010. The Squirrels’ nomination comes following a season in which they continued to expand many of their community aims. That included the launch of the Squirrels’ new non-profit arm, Flying Squirrels Charities, created with the goal of growing opportunities for local children. The first major fundraising campaign for Flying Squirrels Charities was “Smooch-a-Pig,” which included the involvement of 10 local celebrities and benefitted “Operation Renovation.” The campaign, which endeavored to rebuild 12 little league fields for the Richmond City Department of Parks & Recreation, raised over $60,000.

“There are many awards that the Squirrels as an organization would be delighted to receive,” said Flying Squirrels’ Vice President & COO Todd “Parney” Parnell. “However, this nomination is of particular significance to us. Community service is the bedrock of the Squirrels’ organization, and it is gratifying that our sustained effort continues to have a profound impact.”

The Squirrels continue to be one of the most active teams in professional sports within their community. Among their other programs and highlights:

“Go Nuts for Reading Program (39,000 student participants)
Flying Squirrels Art Contest (5^th Year)
Score an “A”, Score a Ticket Program
Kroger Squirrels Tails Kids Club (24,000 Members)
In-Season Youth Camps
Drives (Food, Books, School Supplies, Blood)
Mustaches for Kids Program
Ed Randall’s Bat for the Cure
Charitable Events (Turn Left Golf Classic, Hot Stove Banquet, Nutzy’s Rotary Funn Run, Squirreloween, Puritan Cleaners Coats for Kids Drive, etc.)
450 Mascot Appearances Annually (Local Schools, Businesses, Non-Profits, Festivals, etc.)
30 Player and Coaches Appearances During the 2014 Season (200+ Hours of Community Service)
Executive Speaking Engagements (100+ in 2014)
ASK Fun Walk & 5K (Ask Foundation – 9^th Annual)
Camp Warrior
Flying Squirrels Regional Youth Baseball Tournament
Monetary Gifts & Gifts In-Kind ($150,000)

The John Henry Moss Community Service Award is named after the longtime, former South Atlantic League president, who founded the SAL and presided over it for a half-century (1959-2008).

The John Henry Moss Community Service Award will be presented at the Baseball Winter Meetings, which will be held in San Diego, CA, from December 7-11.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Click here to view the original story.

Fifth Third Field to Host Walk to End Alzheimer’s

October 6, 2014

Fifth Third Field will host the Walk to End Alzheimer’s^® on Saturday, October 11th. Check-in for the event begins at 8:30 a.m. on October 11. Opening Ceremonies begin at 10:00 a.m. and the walk will start at 10:15 a.m.

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s^® is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research. In 2013, more than 42,000 teams participated in nearly 650 walks across the United States, raising more than $55 million. The Walk provides a means for participants to learn more about Alzheimer’s and become involved in the cause.

Each walker may participate in a ceremony to honor those affected by Alzheimer’s. Walkers will also have the opportunity to have team photographs taken.

A City of Dayton water truck will be on site and walkers may bring a water bottle to refill. Healthy snacks will be available.

Alzheimer’s is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States. One-out-of-three senior citizens dies of Alzheimer’s. More than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Dayton Dragons. Click here to view the original story.

Shibuya recipient of Twins’ Killebrew Award

October 2, 2014

Miracle pitcher shows versatility on and off the field in 2014

In September, the Minnesota Twins announced that pitcher Tim Shibuya was selected as the Harmon Killebrew Award for Community Service recipient for the Fort Myers Miracle in 2014.

Shibuya, 25, was a 23rd round draft pick of the Twins in 2011 out of the University of California-San Diego. Shibuya participated in multiple youth baseball camps as an instructor and also appeared at numerous events in Lee and Collier County throughout the season.

“It was great having Tim join us on appearances this past season,” said Miracle Manager of Community Relations Ashley Adams. “He is a hands-on, personable and active with kids. Tim makes the time with the Miracle memorable for them and our staff too.”

On the field, Shibuya posted a 7-4 record with a 3.64 earned run average in 28 games, 10 starts. Tossing a total of 89 innings, Shibuya walked just 11 hitters and tallied 59 strikeouts. In his minor league career, Shibuya has made 74 appearances and has a career ERA at 3.62.

The Killebrew Award honors the long time Twins great and Hall of Famer Harmon Killebrew. Each season, the General Manager and Field Manager of the four full-season affiliates nominate a candidate that best exemplified the compassion and spirit of Killebrew through work in the local community.

Former Miracle pitcher Logan Darnell was the recipient for the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings. Tony Thomas was awarded the honor for the Double-A New Britain Rock Cats and Tanner Vavra the winner for the Single-A Cedar Rapids Kernels.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Fort Myers Miracle. Click here to view the original story.

Dragons Website Going Pink in October

October 1, 2014

Supporting Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The Dayton Dragons have gone pink during the month of October. In partnership with Kettering Health Network, the Dragons have turned their website pink to support Kettering’s Army of Pink and the upcoming Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Dragons website, www.daytondragons.com, will remain pink to help draw attention to the efforts by Kettering Health Network to increase Breast Cancer awareness in the Miami Valley.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between ages 40 and 55. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and a life is lost to the disease every 14 minutes. And while the breast cancer diagnosis rate has increased, there has been a steady drop in the overall breast cancer death rate since the early 1990’s.

The 2014 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk will be at Fifth Third Field on October 18 at 8:00 a.m. This event is part of a national fundraising effort. In 2013 alone, over 1 million walkers across the country collected more than $60 million to help fight this disease.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Dayton Dragons. Click here to view the original story.

Cozens Among Phillies “Step-Up” Service Honorees

October 1, 2014

Phillies minor leaguers were presented with the Step-Up Community Service Award by Phillies Assistant General Manager Benny Looper and Director of Baseball Administration Susan Ingersoll Papaneri. (Miles Kennedy, Philadelphia Phillies)

Former BlueClaws players were honored before a weekend Phillies game as part of the organization’s Step-Up Community Service Program.

The award is given to players in the Phillies Minor League system who have shown leadership through community service. The awards will be presented by Benny Looper, Assistant GM, Player Personnel and Susan Ingersoll Papaneri, Director, Baseball Administration.

OF Dylan Cozens was recognized from the BlueClaws roster this year. Among his service included the Bowling With the BlueClaws charity fundraising event, volunteering at the BlueClaws Youth Baseball Camps, and more.

Other honorees included Lehigh Valley RHP Tyler Knigge (2011 BlueClaw), Reading IF Carlos Alonso (2011 BlueClaw), Clearwater 1B Art Charles (2013 BlueClaw) and LHP Ethan Stewart (2012 BlueClaw) and Williamsport RHP Mitch Guellar.

Also pictured is Phillies pitcher David Buchanan (2011 BlueClaw) who did a significant amount of charity volunteer work with Lehigh Valley and the Phillies after his call-up.

This article originally appeared on the official website of the Lakewood BlueClaws. Click here to view the original story.